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Dr. Mary O. Mundinger was one of the earliest leaders in the proposal and creation of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree. She is a prime model of an effective nurse leader. By her example, nursing leaders should carefully diagnose organizational problems, commit to making forward movement, and invest in others to sustain the solution. Change must include both passion and endurance. Allies with power and influence move the issue beyond where one could take it through sheer will alone. The purpose of this article is to discuss a single change agent and to use this analysis as a springboard for beginning leadership development.
Keywords: nurse leader; change agent; system change; doctor of nursing practice
Dr. Donna Shalala recently visited Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing (D. Shalala, personal communication, March 14, 2011) and emphasized the need for nursing leaders. Of the various messages she could have highlighted, this was her chief message. Although nurses make up most of the health care workforce, they have become a "silent majority" (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2011). With this new missive, doctoral nursing students and graduates are expected to become future trailblazers. How then should we don the cloak of a "leader"? Personal transformation can be assisted in the exploration of narratives of our pioneer predecessors (Brown, Kirkpatrick, Mangum, & Avery, 2008). The purpose of this article is to discuss a single change agent and to use this analysis as a springboard for beginning leadership development.
Although many names can be mentioned regarding the history of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP), most would concur that Dr. Mary O. Mundinger, former dean of Columbia University School of Nursing (CUSN), was one of the earliest leaders in the proposal and creation of the DNP (Carlson, 2003). Using theories from The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World (Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky, 2009), discussion will center on how Dr. Mundinger diagnosed a system problem, how she mobilized the system around her, and how she deployed herself as a leader. These same concepts can, in turn, be used for self-reflection in the quest for improved leadership skills. Please note that throughout this article, Dr. Mundinger's thoughts and perspectives will...