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Leadership Skills Development Program

The goal of the Leadership Skills Development Program is to provide leadership skills to aspiring, emerging, and current frontline pediatric nurse leaders. Participants will participate in a series of online courses to strengthen their leadership skills and enhance their ability to perform in their workplace. Annual cohorts have a minimum of 7 people and a maximum of 13 people. Throughout the duration of the program, participants will select and develop a leadership project under the guidance of a championing leader within their organization. Upon completion, a certificate of completion and 7 + NCPD contact hours will be awarded.

Program Overview pdf

Target Audience

The target audience of the SPN Leadership Skills Development Program includes aspiring, emerging, and current frontline pediatric nurse leaders with leadership experience between 0-5 years. Inquiring participants should be interested in enhancing their leadership skills in the following ways:

  • Demonstrating leadership skills in their practice by integrating new skills or strategies.
  • Integrating new experiences into their professional and leadership development.
  • Encouraging diversity in leadership roles.

SPN PROGRAM FACILITATORS

  • Program Lead – Tina Spagnola, MSN, RN, NE-BC, NPD-BC – SPN Director of Programs
  • Various subject matter experts according to topic

Program outline

The 2025 session series will begin with an orientation on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and activities will wrap up by December 2025. The following items are expected or required of eligible participants:

  • Interactive 12-month course with seven, 60-minute live sessions focused on:
    • Developing Self-leadership 
    • Change Management
    • Developing Financial Acumen 
    • Communication
    • Leading Effective Teams
    • Emotional Intelligence
    • Just Culture 
  • Required access to video and microphone computer access to fully participate in Zoom meetings/interactive webinars
  • Participants must complete pre-work which may consist of the following:
    • Pre-reading 
    • SPN Leadership Podcasts
    • Additional assignments as determined by the subject matter expert
  • Required participation in live interactive webinars, adherence to the timeline, and engagement with the program leader to fully complete the program.
    • Pre-work is to be completed before the live session
    • Live session attendance is required to fully benefit from the program and receive contact hours
  • Completion of project showcased at SPN’s Annual Conference via poster presentation and/or podium presentation.

Expected outcome

  • Participants in the Leadership Skills Development Program will report that their leadership skills have enhanced their ability to perform in their workplace.

expectations

  • Participants are expected to participate in all classes and complete all session pre-work and evaluations.

2025 program fees are listed below:

SPN Member Price: $250
Non-Member Price: $325

Please note: SPN does not provide refunds of program fees after the initial start date of the program.

Session schedule

Session Schedule Subject Matter Expert Pre-Work Due Date Interactive Webinar Date
January - Orientation Tina Spagnola, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NE-BC  N/A  Wednesday, January 8 – 1:00 p.m. PT; 3:00 p.m. CT; 4:00 p.m. ET 

January - Developing Self-leadership (review leadership styles, determine self-leadership style, establish self-leadership goals)

Nichole Hackbarth, MSN, RN, CPN

Jessica Moody, MSN, RN, PED-BC

  Friday, January 10  Wednesday, January 15 – 12:00 p.m. PT; 2:00 p.m. CT; 3:00 p.m. ET
February - Change management (understand components of change management processes and leading change)  Brandi   O'Dell, MSN, RN, CPN  Friday, February 21  Friday February 28 -       12:00 p.m. PT; 2:00 p.m. CT; 3:00 p.m. ET
March - Activity: Decide on project topic and 
 get organizational leadership support		 Tina Spagnola, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NE-BC    Friday, March 21 – 12:00 p.m. PT; 2:00 p.m. CT; 3:00 p.m. ET 
April - Developing Financial Acumen around budgeting, costs, and payer mix (reviewing budget terms and various types of budgets)  Melodie Davis, DNP, RN, CNP  Thursday, March 27  Tuesday, April 1 – 12:00 p.m. PT; 2:00 p.m. CT; 3:00 p.m. ET
May - Communication (active listening, encouraging direct and open discussion, effective feedback, initiating difficult conversations, and understanding and communicating expectations) Rhonda Cooper, MSN, RN, NEA-BC  Monday, May 19  Thursday, May 22 – 11:00 a.m. PT; 1:00 p.m. CT; 2:00 p.m. ET
June - Leading effective teams (developing teams, teamwork, and collaboration, motivating and engaging staff)

Maureen Fitzgerald, EdD, MSN, CPN, CNE

David Jack, PhD, RN, CPN

  Thursday, June 5  Tuesday, June 10 – 12:00 p.m. PT; 2:00 p.m. CT; 3:00 p.m. ET
July - Activity: Work on project      
August - Emotional intelligence (recognizing and positively managing emotions in yourself and others) Ashley Arehart, MSN, RN, CPN  Thursday, August 14  Tuesday, August 19 – 10:00 a.m. PT; 12:00 p.m. CT; 1:00 p.m. ET
September - Activity: Work on project      
October - Just culture (Framework for how to integrate just culture as a leader)  Stefanie Tanner, MSN, RN, CPEN  Wednesday, October 15  Monday, October 20 – 10:00 a.m. PT; 12:00 p.m. CT; 1:00 p.m. ET
November - Activity: Work on project      
December - Activity: Work on project 
      

 

Measurement of success

    • Pre- and post-leadership skills self-assessment
    • Pre- and post-assessment of the learner by a leader in their organization
    • Follow-up survey regarding leadership opportunities
    • Project/goal achieved
    • Certificate of completion
    • 7+ NCPD contact hours awarded to those that complete all program components