The results of the research show that the levels of competencies set for themselves by leaders at the third leadership level in nursing are significantly lower than those set by all other leaders, both in nursing and in state administration. This point to the fact that leaders at the lowest leadership level are torn between the actual provision of nursing care and leadership, and are not prepared to fully accept the role of leaders. The problem of role transition has also appeared in other research (29). Nurse leaders even at the lowest leadership level should be aware of the importance of their role as leaders and should be building up their professional identity, which should already have formed during their time as students. Professional identity is in fact formed throughout the entire process of education and training and does not end with graduation (30). Nurse leaders at the lowest leadership level should already be aware of the importance of achieving high levels of individual leadership competencies. This leadership level is in fact a link between other healthcare employees and leaders, and likewise acts as a mentor to nursing students and plays an important role at the start of the career of every nurse. It is these leaders who must help nursing graduates apply their theoretical knowledge after completing their formal education and become active in developing and changing health care practices and leadership (31). The level required for competencies at the lowest leadership levels in nursing needs to be significantly increased, since this would ease the transition between different leadership levels in nursing and increase the number of potential candidates for middle and higher leadership positions. Leadership training should begin on completion of formal education and continue systematically throughout the entire process of the nurse’s professional development (4, 32), and no longer randomly depending on the needs of the organization. Training programmes should focus on the specifics of leadership in nursing (33). It is also important that such programmes are evaluated to make sure they are achieving their aims (34). A greater contribution should be made by educational institutions and by nurses’ professional associations, in whose interest it should be to construct an integrated and interconnected system of leadership training in nursing. A permanent solution to the problem of leadership in nursing will only be possible if leadership subjects are introduced at the higher education stage. Leadership education at university faculties should take the form of several years of permanent theoretical education and practical training for leadership in health care organizations. Nurses need theoretical and practical basic knowledge of leadership even before they begin working in health care organizations. This way they will be able, as their careers progress, to make a positive contribution to better nursing leadership, better quality of health care, and the excellence of the organizations where they are employed.
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Conclusions
The competency model of leaders in nursing thus comprises generic competencies which are common to all public sector employees and are taken from the competency model for state administration, and role-specific competencies that are characteristic for leadership in nursing. On the basis of a model formulated in this way, we are able to define competency profiles for several leadership levels and compare norms for the generic competencies of different professional groups. Most competency models have been formulated for individual, relatively homogeneous groups of employees with role-specific competencies, comparison of which was not possible. The added value of common competency models is in the possibility of mutual comparison of the norms established and the achievement of these norms among different professional groups. An instrument designed in this way would be useful for several interrelated professional groups and for various purposes (selection of leaders, preparation of education programmes, performance appraisal, etc.). Developing a concept that is only useful for one precisely determined professional group or purpose is, on the one hand, too expensive and too time-consuming, while on the other hand it is illogical from the point of view of the pursuit of a uniform leadership culture