Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Part LXXIX: Chief Nursing Officer Development, Assessment, and Turnover: An Example for Many Other Healthcare Executives.

Most executives new to a health care organization should have introductory and development programs during their first year, which should include networking opportunities, special projects to improve skills, independent or assigned course work, multiple types of assessments, and periodic discussions regarding expectations about their work and their progress in achieving them. It is preferable for the organization and the new executive to have information from outside sources about how a person in that position can achieve success and the reasons for turnover in the position. This is discussed in this article, using the chief nursing officer as the example.