The development and evaluation of a succession planning programme in nursing, in Australia

Aim: This study reports on a locally organized model of succession planning in a 550-bed general hospital. Background: Within healthcare, succession planning has traditionally been considered for people at the executive director level and little research has been published with nurses working at the clinical level. Method: A succession planning model was developed from the literature and through a process of consultation with senior staff. The model was then evaluated from a customer satisfaction, programme progress, effective placement and organizational results perspectives. Nurses who were successful in obtaining a new role were surveyed after 6 weeks in the position. Descriptive statistics, including numbers of placements and types of positions filled, were recorded. A checklist for conducting a programme evaluation of succession planning was also used. Results Twenty-five nurses participated, with 31 positions succeeded to. Nurses reported positively that the programme was beneficial, increased their sense of career planning and gave them a greater understanding of their career pathway. Conclusions: The succession planning programme provided an opportunity for the organization to identify new leaders. The study outcomes have identified potential improvements to the way succession planning is conducted at the hospital. Implications for nursing management: Nurse Managers are in key positions to develop effective succession planning models. This study offers a process for managers to develop effective succession planning programmes within their organization.