Strong nurse leadership is shaped by both our individual strengths and behaviors and our commitment to ongoing professional development. Effective leaders recognize that growth often begins with vulnerability—identifying areas for improvement, seeking feedback, and pursuing opportunities to strengthen their skills.
The SDAHO 2026 Nurse Leadership Program includes 24 participants, who have now completed eight of the program’s 10 sessions. Throughout the program, participants have engaged in a diverse range of educational experiences designed to strengthen leadership knowledge, expand professional perspectives, and build practical leadership skills.
Sessions to date have included:
- Innovative Leadership
- Human Resources: Legal Aspects of Management
- Principles of Health Care Finance
- A recap of the 2026 Legislative Session
- SDAHO Post Acute Partners in Care Conference
- Nursing Inquiry
- A review of the AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies
- An overview of the South Dakota Board of Nursing
- Communication: Crucial Conversations
Reflections From Participants
An important component of the program is reflection. Following each session, participants are encouraged to consider how the concepts and skills discussed can be applied to their leadership practice and professional growth. The following reflections are shared by members of the 2026 Nurse Leadership Program:
- I really enjoyed hearing from the nurses serving as state representatives and senators.
- The idea of leader competencies. Hadn’t thought of that before but makes sense.
- The certifications that are available through AONL.
- The changes in scope of practices for each licensure. Utilizing the SDBON website to find all these details.
- The importance of reaching out to our legislators and advocate ways to improve our health care
- All the resources that the board of nursing can provide to me as a leader.
- Learning more about different models for EBP projects
- Learning effective ways to be an innovative leader
- I learned ways to gain trust and build stronger relationships with my team
Looking Ahead
On August 19, participants will gather for Session 9, Health Care Ethics. During this session, participants will explore the Code of Ethics for Nurses, the four main principles of health care ethics, the impact of bias in health care, and other ethical considerations that influence nursing leadership and practice.
The final session will take place during SDAHO’s Annual Convention, where participants will have the opportunity to attend educational sessions, explore current health care trends and best practices, and network with colleagues from across the state.
To complete the 10-session program, each participant will also submit an Independent Study Project highlighting a project they have worked on throughout the program. This final component provides an opportunity to apply leadership concepts in a meaningful, practice-based setting.
No matter where you are in your nursing career, continued professional growth is an essential part of nursing practice. American Nurses Association (ANA) Standard 13: Education states the registered nurse “seeks knowledge and competence that reflects current nursing practice and promotes futuristic thinking.”
The SDAHO Nurse Leadership Program participants continue to demonstrate this commitment through critical thinking, self-reflection, inquiry, and a willingness to learn. Their dedication to personal and professional growth not only strengthens their individual leadership capacity but also contributes to the future of nursing and health care across South Dakota.
