Abstract:
Background
Within the next five to ten years, an estimated 84% of nurse educators in South Africa will be exiting
institutions for retirement, leaving a shortage of skilled, competent nurse educators. Succession
planning frameworks are not readily available and applied in nursing education institutions in South
Africa. A succession planning framework is essential to maintain leadership continuity and a stable
workforce in nursing education institutions in South Africa. A succession planning framework allows
for internal grooming of potential successors and guarantees the establishment of a talent pool that
are readily available to move into leadership positions whenever vacancies occur.
Methods
The aim of this study was to develop a succession planning framework for leadership development
of nurse educators in nursing education institutions in South Africa. Three research objectives guided
this study, namely; (1) to determine the current succession planning processes that are in place for
leadership development of nurse educators according to heads of nursing departments in South
Africa, (2) to determine the current succession planning processes that are in place for leadership
development at NEIs in South Africa according to nurse educators and, (3) to develop a succession
planning framework for leadership development of nurse educators in NEIs in South Africa.
A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was used to investigate current succession planning
practices and processes for leadership development of nurse educators in nurse education
institutions in South Africa. The study was guided and informed by Mateso’s (2010) conceptual
framework for succession planning and management. The researcher conducted the study in three
phases. In Phase one, stratified random sampling was used to select 100 nursing Heads of
Department working in nursing education institutions across all nine provinces in South Africa. Data
was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistical
techniques, Statistical System (SAS) STATA program, version 4.1. In Phase two, focus group
interviews were conducted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 20 nursing educators working in
nursing education institutions in the Gauteng province. The researcher used content analysis to
analyse the transcribed interviews.
The data of Phase one and Phase two were integrated and served as introduction to Phase three.
In Phase three, purposive sampling was used to recruit 12 stakeholders in nursing education training. A one-day stakeholders meeting was held and the Nominal Group Technique was used as method
to guide stakeholders to reach consensus on what concepts to include in the envisaged a framework.
Results and findings
The results of phase 1 indicated that current succession planning practices are unstructured and
succession planning processes are unclear. Thus, there is need for having a formal succession
planning for leadership development of nurse educators. Three themes emerged from the qualitative
data namely: current succession planning for leadership development of nurse educators, current
succession planning and management practices, and barriers to the implementation of succession
planning for leadership development. In the nominal group technique participants reached
consensus on five fundamental concepts for inclusion in the suggested succession planning
framework for nurse educators in NEIs in South Africa. These concepts are as follows: (1) strategic
alignment; (2) leadership development involvement and commitment; (3) succession planning
process; (4) implementation and, (5) talent management. The outcome of the consensus meeting
assisted the researcher to develop a succession planning framework to aid in identifying potential
nurse educators for leadership positions and to develop and retain nurse educators to fill current and
future leadership positions.
Conclusion
This study identified the urgent need for a succession planning for leadership development of nurse
educators in nursing education institutions in South Africa. The key to prevention of having
inexperienced and unskilled leaders within the next ten years when current leaders exit for retirement
is awareness of leadership development of nurse educators early in their career. In addition,
communication and teamwork between top management and human resource departments plays a
crucial role in succession planning and its implementation. Recommendations were made that have
a bearing on succession planning for leadership development of nurse educators among
stakeholders in nursing education and training, nursing education institutions, executive
management and human resource departments, and future studies in leadership development
through succession planning.