Assignment Prompt & Instructions
– ## AONL_NurseExecutiveCompetenciesDirector-ACNO.pdf
– AONLCompetenciesRawData7-11-25.xlsx
– Combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25.docx
**## AONL_NurseExecutiveCompetenciesDirector-ACNO.pdf**
AONL
NURSE EXECUTIVE
COMPETENCIES
The AONL Nurse Executive Competencies© represent
the functional knowledge, skills, abilities and personal
characteristics required to produce a set of activities that
generate observable and measurable outcomes.
The Nurse Executive Competencies© are based on the
AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies©.
In the AONL Nurse Leader Core Competency model©,
the anchoring domain, Leader Within, anchors the
five core domains: Business Skills and Principles;
Communication and Relationship Building; Knowledge
of the Health Care Environment; Professionalism; and
Leadership. It is the driver of motivation, beliefs,
values and interests, and recognizes that the influence
and significance of education, experience and
understanding oneself is essential.
A circle represents each core domain. The gradient
border symbolizes the influence of both the art and
science of nursing and the open center informs the
role specific functional competencies driven by the
core domain. The overlap depicts the interrelatedness
of the domains in practice. The Leadership domain’s
placement in the center supports and enables this
interrelatedness of requisite knowledge, skills and
abilities between and among the core domains.
OVERVIEW
AONE, AONL. (2023). AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies, Chicago, IL: AONE, AONL.
Accessed at: www.aonl.org • Accessible at: www.aonl.org/competencies • Contact: aonl@aha.org or (312) 422-2800
© 2023 American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
All materials contained in this publication are available to anyone for download on www.aonl.org, for personal, non-commercial use
only. No part of this publication may be reproduced and distributed in any form without permission of AONL, except in the case of brief
quotations followed by the above suggested citation. To request permission to reproduce this material, please email aonl@aha.org.
1
Reliability and validity for the AONL Nurse Executive Competencies are established by periodic job
analysis/role delineation studies. These competencies are based on the Job Analysis Report: American
Organization for Nursing Leadership Certified in Executive Nursing Practice, February, 2023.
[http://www.aonl.org](http://www.aonl.org/)
[http://www.aonl.org/competencies](http://www.aonl.org/competencies)
[http://aonl@aha.org](http://aonl@aha.org/)
[mailto:aonl%40aha.org?subject=](mailto:aonl%40aha.org?subject=)
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
• Demonstrates reflective practice and an
understanding that all leadership begins
from within.
• Solicits feedback from trusted sources about
personal strengths and opportunities for
improvement, incorporating the information
into practice.
• Recognizes the contribution of mental models
on behavior.
FOUNDATIONAL THINKING
• Learns from challenges, setbacks and failures
as well as successes.
• Recognizes the role of beliefs, values and
influences in one’s own method of
decision-making.
• Maintains curiosity and an eagerness
to explore.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
• Learns from challenges, setbacks and failures
as well as successes.
• Recognizes the role of beliefs, values and
influences in one’s own method of
decision-making.
• Maintains curiosity and an eagerness to explore.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY
• Participates in life-long learning.
• Maintains competency through nationally
recognized certification.
• Participates in professional organizations
that advance one’s leadership and career
development.
• Prioritizes self-care health behaviors through
daily practices and routines; practices healthy
work-life integration.
LEADER WITHIN
2
3
PROFESSION ACCOUNTABILITY
• Upholds professional ethical principles in
decision-making through personal and
organizational accountability.
• Supports, promotes and role models standards
of nursing and leadership professional practice
(clinical, educational, certification and leadership)
for colleagues and constituents.
• Solicits feedback from trusted sources about
personal strengths and opportunities for
improvement and incorporates the information
into practice.
• Maintains competency through nationally
recognized leadership certification.
• Participates in professional organizations
that advance one’s leadership practice and
career development.
• Encourages staff to engage in their
career development.
ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• Aligns behavior with personal values and
determines fit with the organization’s culture.
• Ensures the voice of the patient is central and
present in decision-making.
• Ensures a culture of accountability by holding
self and others accountable for measurable high
quality and cost-effective outcomes.
• Follows up regularly with staff to ensure that
desired outcomes are being achieved.
• Recognizes career opportunities for staff based
on strengths and interests.
• Exhibits leadership presence (e.g., attending
team meetings, vocal, fostering discussions, lead
rounds, etc.).
HEALTH EQUITY AND SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
• Collaborates on the development of the needs
assessment to identify if there are any current
health equity issues.
• Creates action plan to see how to close the gap
on department/ unit health equity issues.
• Provides staff with tools and resources to provide
culturally competent care (e.g., translation
resources, discharge materials, appropriate
referrals).
• Supports staff in participation of community-based
activities that address community care.
• Coordinates and facilities orientation related to
culturally competent care.
• Evaluates culturally competent care through
performance appraisals.
• Monitors performance data to ensure the delivery
of culturally competent care.
GOVERNANCE
• Interacts and educates the organization’s
governing body regarding health care and the
value of nursing.
• Interacts and educates the organization’s
governing body regarding quality and patient
safety principles.
• Represents patient care issues to the organization’s
governing body.
• Represents nursing in the boardroom and
C-suite.
4
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
• Develops relationships across the care
continuum to build alliances and partnerships
and achieve common goals.
• Manages conflicts and disagreements in
a constructive manner.
• Identifies the internal and external relationships
that impact the work of the department/unit to
achieve department/unit goals.
• Interprets organizational and strategic realities
(e.g., labor costs, different models of care delivery,
key performance indicators (KPI), supply chain
disruption etc.) to navigate changes.
• Recognizes the impact on staff from
the organization’s decisions and takes
appropriate action.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Communicates with clarity and integrity to
build trust with all stakeholders.
• Identifies and understands different
communication styles.
• Utilizes appropriate communication style
when engaging different audiences.
• Practices transparency and honesty to
demonstrate authenticity.
• Builds trust by listening to staff.
INFLUENCING BEHAVIORS
• Collaborate with others to exchange ideas to
accomplish goals.
• Uses information from multiple sources (e.g.,
evidence from research, data, reports) to gain
consensus and commitment from stakeholders.
• Coaches staff in their development (e.g.,
conflict management, active listening,
communication, etc.).
• Create policies and initiatives to promote
desired organizational behaviors.
5
NURSING PRACTICE AND APPLICATION
• Transforms care delivery models and
environmental design to ensure the delivery
of safe patient care that is evidence-based,
accessible, affordable, and equitable.
• Recognizes the impact of internal and external
factors on care delivery and the organizational
finances.
• Integrates patient quality & safety measures
into the care environment.
• Formulates objectives and priorities to
implement plans across the continuum of care
and practice settings consistent with long-term
interests of the organization.
ECONOMICS AND POLICY
• Aligns organizational strategies with current
developments in healthcare economics, policy,
and legislation.
• Employs a population health approach to
improve outcomes.
• Influences health care policy as it affects safe
quality, accessible and affordable health care
through advocacy at all levels of government.
REGULATION
• Maintains knowledge of regulatory and
accreditation standard/rule changes.
• Seeks resources in support of the organization’s
compliance regarding regulatory requirements.
• Ensures compliance with accreditation standards
and local, state, and federal regulatory standards.
• Participates with response to identified deficiencies.
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
• Ensures a process is in place to evaluate
strengths and barriers in implementing
evidence-based practices.
• Promotes integration of evidence-based research
into practice.
• Supports staff by providing resources for
implementation of evidence-based practices.
PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY
• Maintains knowledge of patient safety and
improvement sciences.
• Ensures the incorporation of patient safety
and improvement sciences with organization’s
practices.
• Participates in risk assessment (e.g., FMEA,
root cause analysis, etc.) to ensure safe, compliant
and effective care delivery.
• Develop processes that result in prompt
escalation of potential performance gaps by
system processes and staff.
6
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• Manages budget by understanding and utilizing
organization’s financial processes.
• Monitors budget to ensure accuracy of expenses
and identify variances.
• Maintains knowledge of reimbursement models
that affect care delivery.
• Maintains knowledge of health care economics
and business models to set priorities and
measurable goals.
• Participates in the creation of
department/division budget.
• Makes adjustment of budget as indicated
by variances.
• Supports financial health particularly as it
is influenced by nursing and other clinical
decisions and outcomes.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
• Collaborates with staff in the communication and
implementation of high reliability concepts (e.g.,
safety huddles, use of evidence, deferring to
expertise etc) as identified by the organization.
• Utilizes multiple sources of evidence-based data
in goal setting and decision-making.
• Ensures organizational objectives are in place
to achieve the strategic mission.
• Participates in the negotiation, monitoring and
management of contract and service agreements.
• Aligns and creates nursing/clinical objectives,
goals and tactics required to achieve the
organization’s strategic outcomes.
• Recognizes and supports the benefit and
impact of technology on care delivery, clinical
information, and financial outcomes.
• Uses evidence-based metrics to align
department/unit’s goals and objectives with
patient outcomes.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
• Builds and manages a diverse workforce based
on organizational, professional nursing, clinical
goals and outcomes, data, budget considerations,
and staffing needs.
• Ensures that employees are recruited, selected,
onboarded, educated, evaluated, and recognized
according to established standards, applicable
employment laws, and organization’s mission
vision and values.
• Manages a multisector workforce and a variety
of work situations.
• Assesses the organization’s culture to ensure the
presence of a safe and healthy work environment.
• Addresses any gaps associated with the cultural
assessment of safe and healthy work environment.
• Advances organizational policies that allow
employees to practice at the top of education
and or license.
• Establishes mechanisms that provide for
identification and mentoring of staff for
career progression.
LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP
7
SYSTEMS AND COMPLEX
ADAPTIVE THINKING
• Builds a shared vision that articulates and
influences others to translate vision into action.
• Develops new insights into situations by
questioning conventional approaches.
• Encourages staff to develop new and
innovative ideas.
• Removes barriers to help implement new
cutting-edge programs/processes.
• Creates and executes strategies for complex
situations (e.g., addressing safety issues with
workload capacity, increase nursing time at
bed side, selection, and deployment of Artificial
Intelligence in nursing).
• Leads nursing strategic planning and execution.
• Participates in nursing and organizational
strategy planning and execution.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
• Acts as a catalyst for change by seeking new
information and ideas.
• Adapts to new information, changing conditions
and unexpected obstacles.
• Assesses through analytics (e.g., gap analysis,
SWOT, etc.) if change is necessary.
• Utilizes common change models (e.g., Kotter,
Lewin) and other tools for change (e.g., PDSA,
LEAN methods).
• Supports staff in managing organizational changes.
DIVERSITY, BELONGING AND INCLUSION
• Recognizes unconscious and systemic bias
occurs in care delivery, business operations,
and through external influences.
• Leads and supports initiatives that address
racism, discrimination and bias in care delivery
and business operations.
• Encourages creative tension and differences
of opinions.
• Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity
and individual differences are valued and
maximized to achieve the vision and mission
of the organization.
• Develops the ability of others to perform and
contribute to the achievement of their goals
consistent with the organization’s vision and
mission corresponding with individual needs.
• Provides feedback and opportunities for others
to learn through formal and informal methods
corresponding with individual needs.
• Creates, promotes, and protects a culture that
supports staff, patients/clients and stakeholders
at the organization/system level.
DECISION MAKING
• Capitalizes on opportunities and takes
calculated risks.
• Identifies and objectively analyzes problems;
evaluates relevance and accuracy of information,
generates and evaluates alternative solutions,
makes recommendations and decisions.
• Makes timely decisions even when data are
limited or solutions produce unpleasant
consequences.
• Understands the impact and implications
of decisions.
• Delegates appropriately.
• Fosters professional governance in both
philosophy and structure.
TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION
• Actively looks for opportunities and takes
calculated risks to advance organization’s
mission and vision.
• Develops an organizational framework to
advance innovation.
• Allocate resources for the development of
innovation teams or methods.
• Supports the implementation of innovative ideas.
**AONLCompetenciesRawData7-11-25.xlsx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/aonlcompetenciesrawdata7-11-25-xlsx-10363497)
**Combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25.docx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25-docx-10363499)
**Combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25.docx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25-docx-10363499)
**## AONL_NurseExecutiveCompetenciesDirector-ACNO.pdf**
AONL
NURSE EXECUTIVE
COMPETENCIES
The AONL Nurse Executive Competencies© represent
the functional knowledge, skills, abilities and personal
characteristics required to produce a set of activities that
generate observable and measurable outcomes.
The Nurse Executive Competencies© are based on the
AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies©.
In the AONL Nurse Leader Core Competency model©,
the anchoring domain, Leader Within, anchors the
five core domains: Business Skills and Principles;
Communication and Relationship Building; Knowledge
of the Health Care Environment; Professionalism; and
Leadership. It is the driver of motivation, beliefs,
values and interests, and recognizes that the influence
and significance of education, experience and
understanding oneself is essential.
A circle represents each core domain. The gradient
border symbolizes the influence of both the art and
science of nursing and the open center informs the
role specific functional competencies driven by the
core domain. The overlap depicts the interrelatedness
of the domains in practice. The Leadership domain’s
placement in the center supports and enables this
interrelatedness of requisite knowledge, skills and
abilities between and among the core domains.
OVERVIEW
AONE, AONL. (2023). AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies, Chicago, IL: AONE, AONL.
Accessed at: www.aonl.org • Accessible at: www.aonl.org/competencies • Contact: aonl@aha.org or (312) 422-2800
© 2023 American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
All materials contained in this publication are available to anyone for download on www.aonl.org, for personal, non-commercial use
only. No part of this publication may be reproduced and distributed in any form without permission of AONL, except in the case of brief
quotations followed by the above suggested citation. To request permission to reproduce this material, please email aonl@aha.org.
1
Reliability and validity for the AONL Nurse Executive Competencies are established by periodic job
analysis/role delineation studies. These competencies are based on the Job Analysis Report: American
Organization for Nursing Leadership Certified in Executive Nursing Practice, February, 2023.
[http://www.aonl.org](http://www.aonl.org/)
[http://www.aonl.org/competencies](http://www.aonl.org/competencies)
[http://aonl@aha.org](http://aonl@aha.org/)
[mailto:aonl%40aha.org?subject=](mailto:aonl%40aha.org?subject=)
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
• Demonstrates reflective practice and an
understanding that all leadership begins
from within.
• Solicits feedback from trusted sources about
personal strengths and opportunities for
improvement, incorporating the information
into practice.
• Recognizes the contribution of mental models
on behavior.
FOUNDATIONAL THINKING
• Learns from challenges, setbacks and failures
as well as successes.
• Recognizes the role of beliefs, values and
influences in one’s own method of
decision-making.
• Maintains curiosity and an eagerness
to explore.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
• Learns from challenges, setbacks and failures
as well as successes.
• Recognizes the role of beliefs, values and
influences in one’s own method of
decision-making.
• Maintains curiosity and an eagerness to explore.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY
• Participates in life-long learning.
• Maintains competency through nationally
recognized certification.
• Participates in professional organizations
that advance one’s leadership and career
development.
• Prioritizes self-care health behaviors through
daily practices and routines; practices healthy
work-life integration.
LEADER WITHIN
2
3
PROFESSION ACCOUNTABILITY
• Upholds professional ethical principles in
decision-making through personal and
organizational accountability.
• Supports, promotes and role models standards
of nursing and leadership professional practice
(clinical, educational, certification and leadership)
for colleagues and constituents.
• Solicits feedback from trusted sources about
personal strengths and opportunities for
improvement and incorporates the information
into practice.
• Maintains competency through nationally
recognized leadership certification.
• Participates in professional organizations
that advance one’s leadership practice and
career development.
• Encourages staff to engage in their
career development.
ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• Aligns behavior with personal values and
determines fit with the organization’s culture.
• Ensures the voice of the patient is central and
present in decision-making.
• Ensures a culture of accountability by holding
self and others accountable for measurable high
quality and cost-effective outcomes.
• Follows up regularly with staff to ensure that
desired outcomes are being achieved.
• Recognizes career opportunities for staff based
on strengths and interests.
• Exhibits leadership presence (e.g., attending
team meetings, vocal, fostering discussions, lead
rounds, etc.).
HEALTH EQUITY AND SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
• Collaborates on the development of the needs
assessment to identify if there are any current
health equity issues.
• Creates action plan to see how to close the gap
on department/ unit health equity issues.
• Provides staff with tools and resources to provide
culturally competent care (e.g., translation
resources, discharge materials, appropriate
referrals).
• Supports staff in participation of community-based
activities that address community care.
• Coordinates and facilities orientation related to
culturally competent care.
• Evaluates culturally competent care through
performance appraisals.
• Monitors performance data to ensure the delivery
of culturally competent care.
GOVERNANCE
• Interacts and educates the organization’s
governing body regarding health care and the
value of nursing.
• Interacts and educates the organization’s
governing body regarding quality and patient
safety principles.
• Represents patient care issues to the organization’s
governing body.
• Represents nursing in the boardroom and
C-suite.
4
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
• Develops relationships across the care
continuum to build alliances and partnerships
and achieve common goals.
• Manages conflicts and disagreements in
a constructive manner.
• Identifies the internal and external relationships
that impact the work of the department/unit to
achieve department/unit goals.
• Interprets organizational and strategic realities
(e.g., labor costs, different models of care delivery,
key performance indicators (KPI), supply chain
disruption etc.) to navigate changes.
• Recognizes the impact on staff from
the organization’s decisions and takes
appropriate action.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Communicates with clarity and integrity to
build trust with all stakeholders.
• Identifies and understands different
communication styles.
• Utilizes appropriate communication style
when engaging different audiences.
• Practices transparency and honesty to
demonstrate authenticity.
• Builds trust by listening to staff.
INFLUENCING BEHAVIORS
• Collaborate with others to exchange ideas to
accomplish goals.
• Uses information from multiple sources (e.g.,
evidence from research, data, reports) to gain
consensus and commitment from stakeholders.
• Coaches staff in their development (e.g.,
conflict management, active listening,
communication, etc.).
• Create policies and initiatives to promote
desired organizational behaviors.
5
NURSING PRACTICE AND APPLICATION
• Transforms care delivery models and
environmental design to ensure the delivery
of safe patient care that is evidence-based,
accessible, affordable, and equitable.
• Recognizes the impact of internal and external
factors on care delivery and the organizational
finances.
• Integrates patient quality & safety measures
into the care environment.
• Formulates objectives and priorities to
implement plans across the continuum of care
and practice settings consistent with long-term
interests of the organization.
ECONOMICS AND POLICY
• Aligns organizational strategies with current
developments in healthcare economics, policy,
and legislation.
• Employs a population health approach to
improve outcomes.
• Influences health care policy as it affects safe
quality, accessible and affordable health care
through advocacy at all levels of government.
REGULATION
• Maintains knowledge of regulatory and
accreditation standard/rule changes.
• Seeks resources in support of the organization’s
compliance regarding regulatory requirements.
• Ensures compliance with accreditation standards
and local, state, and federal regulatory standards.
• Participates with response to identified deficiencies.
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
• Ensures a process is in place to evaluate
strengths and barriers in implementing
evidence-based practices.
• Promotes integration of evidence-based research
into practice.
• Supports staff by providing resources for
implementation of evidence-based practices.
PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY
• Maintains knowledge of patient safety and
improvement sciences.
• Ensures the incorporation of patient safety
and improvement sciences with organization’s
practices.
• Participates in risk assessment (e.g., FMEA,
root cause analysis, etc.) to ensure safe, compliant
and effective care delivery.
• Develop processes that result in prompt
escalation of potential performance gaps by
system processes and staff.
6
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• Manages budget by understanding and utilizing
organization’s financial processes.
• Monitors budget to ensure accuracy of expenses
and identify variances.
• Maintains knowledge of reimbursement models
that affect care delivery.
• Maintains knowledge of health care economics
and business models to set priorities and
measurable goals.
• Participates in the creation of
department/division budget.
• Makes adjustment of budget as indicated
by variances.
• Supports financial health particularly as it
is influenced by nursing and other clinical
decisions and outcomes.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
• Collaborates with staff in the communication and
implementation of high reliability concepts (e.g.,
safety huddles, use of evidence, deferring to
expertise etc) as identified by the organization.
• Utilizes multiple sources of evidence-based data
in goal setting and decision-making.
• Ensures organizational objectives are in place
to achieve the strategic mission.
• Participates in the negotiation, monitoring and
management of contract and service agreements.
• Aligns and creates nursing/clinical objectives,
goals and tactics required to achieve the
organization’s strategic outcomes.
• Recognizes and supports the benefit and
impact of technology on care delivery, clinical
information, and financial outcomes.
• Uses evidence-based metrics to align
department/unit’s goals and objectives with
patient outcomes.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
• Builds and manages a diverse workforce based
on organizational, professional nursing, clinical
goals and outcomes, data, budget considerations,
and staffing needs.
• Ensures that employees are recruited, selected,
onboarded, educated, evaluated, and recognized
according to established standards, applicable
employment laws, and organization’s mission
vision and values.
• Manages a multisector workforce and a variety
of work situations.
• Assesses the organization’s culture to ensure the
presence of a safe and healthy work environment.
• Addresses any gaps associated with the cultural
assessment of safe and healthy work environment.
• Advances organizational policies that allow
employees to practice at the top of education
and or license.
• Establishes mechanisms that provide for
identification and mentoring of staff for
career progression.
LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP
7
SYSTEMS AND COMPLEX
ADAPTIVE THINKING
• Builds a shared vision that articulates and
influences others to translate vision into action.
• Develops new insights into situations by
questioning conventional approaches.
• Encourages staff to develop new and
innovative ideas.
• Removes barriers to help implement new
cutting-edge programs/processes.
• Creates and executes strategies for complex
situations (e.g., addressing safety issues with
workload capacity, increase nursing time at
bed side, selection, and deployment of Artificial
Intelligence in nursing).
• Leads nursing strategic planning and execution.
• Participates in nursing and organizational
strategy planning and execution.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
• Acts as a catalyst for change by seeking new
information and ideas.
• Adapts to new information, changing conditions
and unexpected obstacles.
• Assesses through analytics (e.g., gap analysis,
SWOT, etc.) if change is necessary.
• Utilizes common change models (e.g., Kotter,
Lewin) and other tools for change (e.g., PDSA,
LEAN methods).
• Supports staff in managing organizational changes.
DIVERSITY, BELONGING AND INCLUSION
• Recognizes unconscious and systemic bias
occurs in care delivery, business operations,
and through external influences.
• Leads and supports initiatives that address
racism, discrimination and bias in care delivery
and business operations.
• Encourages creative tension and differences
of opinions.
• Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity
and individual differences are valued and
maximized to achieve the vision and mission
of the organization.
• Develops the ability of others to perform and
contribute to the achievement of their goals
consistent with the organization’s vision and
mission corresponding with individual needs.
• Provides feedback and opportunities for others
to learn through formal and informal methods
corresponding with individual needs.
• Creates, promotes, and protects a culture that
supports staff, patients/clients and stakeholders
at the organization/system level.
DECISION MAKING
• Capitalizes on opportunities and takes
calculated risks.
• Identifies and objectively analyzes problems;
evaluates relevance and accuracy of information,
generates and evaluates alternative solutions,
makes recommendations and decisions.
• Makes timely decisions even when data are
limited or solutions produce unpleasant
consequences.
• Understands the impact and implications
of decisions.
• Delegates appropriately.
• Fosters professional governance in both
philosophy and structure.
TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION
• Actively looks for opportunities and takes
calculated risks to advance organization’s
mission and vision.
• Develops an organizational framework to
advance innovation.
• Allocate resources for the development of
innovation teams or methods.
• Supports the implementation of innovative ideas.
**AONLCompetenciesRawData7-11-25.xlsx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/aonlcompetenciesrawdata7-11-25-xlsx-10363497)
**Combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25.docx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25-docx-10363499)
**## AONL_NurseExecutiveCompetenciesDirector-ACNO.pdf**
AONL
NURSE EXECUTIVE
COMPETENCIES
The AONL Nurse Executive Competencies© represent
the functional knowledge, skills, abilities and personal
characteristics required to produce a set of activities that
generate observable and measurable outcomes.
The Nurse Executive Competencies© are based on the
AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies©.
In the AONL Nurse Leader Core Competency model©,
the anchoring domain, Leader Within, anchors the
five core domains: Business Skills and Principles;
Communication and Relationship Building; Knowledge
of the Health Care Environment; Professionalism; and
Leadership. It is the driver of motivation, beliefs,
values and interests, and recognizes that the influence
and significance of education, experience and
understanding oneself is essential.
A circle represents each core domain. The gradient
border symbolizes the influence of both the art and
science of nursing and the open center informs the
role specific functional competencies driven by the
core domain. The overlap depicts the interrelatedness
of the domains in practice. The Leadership domain’s
placement in the center supports and enables this
interrelatedness of requisite knowledge, skills and
abilities between and among the core domains.
OVERVIEW
AONE, AONL. (2023). AONL Nurse Leader Core Competencies, Chicago, IL: AONE, AONL.
Accessed at: www.aonl.org • Accessible at: www.aonl.org/competencies • Contact: aonl@aha.org or (312) 422-2800
© 2023 American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
All materials contained in this publication are available to anyone for download on www.aonl.org, for personal, non-commercial use
only. No part of this publication may be reproduced and distributed in any form without permission of AONL, except in the case of brief
quotations followed by the above suggested citation. To request permission to reproduce this material, please email aonl@aha.org.
1
Reliability and validity for the AONL Nurse Executive Competencies are established by periodic job
analysis/role delineation studies. These competencies are based on the Job Analysis Report: American
Organization for Nursing Leadership Certified in Executive Nursing Practice, February, 2023.
[http://www.aonl.org](http://www.aonl.org/)
[http://www.aonl.org/competencies](http://www.aonl.org/competencies)
[http://aonl@aha.org](http://aonl@aha.org/)
[mailto:aonl%40aha.org?subject=](mailto:aonl%40aha.org?subject=)
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
• Demonstrates reflective practice and an
understanding that all leadership begins
from within.
• Solicits feedback from trusted sources about
personal strengths and opportunities for
improvement, incorporating the information
into practice.
• Recognizes the contribution of mental models
on behavior.
FOUNDATIONAL THINKING
• Learns from challenges, setbacks and failures
as well as successes.
• Recognizes the role of beliefs, values and
influences in one’s own method of
decision-making.
• Maintains curiosity and an eagerness
to explore.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
• Learns from challenges, setbacks and failures
as well as successes.
• Recognizes the role of beliefs, values and
influences in one’s own method of
decision-making.
• Maintains curiosity and an eagerness to explore.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY
• Participates in life-long learning.
• Maintains competency through nationally
recognized certification.
• Participates in professional organizations
that advance one’s leadership and career
development.
• Prioritizes self-care health behaviors through
daily practices and routines; practices healthy
work-life integration.
LEADER WITHIN
2
3
PROFESSION ACCOUNTABILITY
• Upholds professional ethical principles in
decision-making through personal and
organizational accountability.
• Supports, promotes and role models standards
of nursing and leadership professional practice
(clinical, educational, certification and leadership)
for colleagues and constituents.
• Solicits feedback from trusted sources about
personal strengths and opportunities for
improvement and incorporates the information
into practice.
• Maintains competency through nationally
recognized leadership certification.
• Participates in professional organizations
that advance one’s leadership practice and
career development.
• Encourages staff to engage in their
career development.
ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• Aligns behavior with personal values and
determines fit with the organization’s culture.
• Ensures the voice of the patient is central and
present in decision-making.
• Ensures a culture of accountability by holding
self and others accountable for measurable high
quality and cost-effective outcomes.
• Follows up regularly with staff to ensure that
desired outcomes are being achieved.
• Recognizes career opportunities for staff based
on strengths and interests.
• Exhibits leadership presence (e.g., attending
team meetings, vocal, fostering discussions, lead
rounds, etc.).
HEALTH EQUITY AND SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
• Collaborates on the development of the needs
assessment to identify if there are any current
health equity issues.
• Creates action plan to see how to close the gap
on department/ unit health equity issues.
• Provides staff with tools and resources to provide
culturally competent care (e.g., translation
resources, discharge materials, appropriate
referrals).
• Supports staff in participation of community-based
activities that address community care.
• Coordinates and facilities orientation related to
culturally competent care.
• Evaluates culturally competent care through
performance appraisals.
• Monitors performance data to ensure the delivery
of culturally competent care.
GOVERNANCE
• Interacts and educates the organization’s
governing body regarding health care and the
value of nursing.
• Interacts and educates the organization’s
governing body regarding quality and patient
safety principles.
• Represents patient care issues to the organization’s
governing body.
• Represents nursing in the boardroom and
C-suite.
4
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
• Develops relationships across the care
continuum to build alliances and partnerships
and achieve common goals.
• Manages conflicts and disagreements in
a constructive manner.
• Identifies the internal and external relationships
that impact the work of the department/unit to
achieve department/unit goals.
• Interprets organizational and strategic realities
(e.g., labor costs, different models of care delivery,
key performance indicators (KPI), supply chain
disruption etc.) to navigate changes.
• Recognizes the impact on staff from
the organization’s decisions and takes
appropriate action.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Communicates with clarity and integrity to
build trust with all stakeholders.
• Identifies and understands different
communication styles.
• Utilizes appropriate communication style
when engaging different audiences.
• Practices transparency and honesty to
demonstrate authenticity.
• Builds trust by listening to staff.
INFLUENCING BEHAVIORS
• Collaborate with others to exchange ideas to
accomplish goals.
• Uses information from multiple sources (e.g.,
evidence from research, data, reports) to gain
consensus and commitment from stakeholders.
• Coaches staff in their development (e.g.,
conflict management, active listening,
communication, etc.).
• Create policies and initiatives to promote
desired organizational behaviors.
5
NURSING PRACTICE AND APPLICATION
• Transforms care delivery models and
environmental design to ensure the delivery
of safe patient care that is evidence-based,
accessible, affordable, and equitable.
• Recognizes the impact of internal and external
factors on care delivery and the organizational
finances.
• Integrates patient quality & safety measures
into the care environment.
• Formulates objectives and priorities to
implement plans across the continuum of care
and practice settings consistent with long-term
interests of the organization.
ECONOMICS AND POLICY
• Aligns organizational strategies with current
developments in healthcare economics, policy,
and legislation.
• Employs a population health approach to
improve outcomes.
• Influences health care policy as it affects safe
quality, accessible and affordable health care
through advocacy at all levels of government.
REGULATION
• Maintains knowledge of regulatory and
accreditation standard/rule changes.
• Seeks resources in support of the organization’s
compliance regarding regulatory requirements.
• Ensures compliance with accreditation standards
and local, state, and federal regulatory standards.
• Participates with response to identified deficiencies.
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
• Ensures a process is in place to evaluate
strengths and barriers in implementing
evidence-based practices.
• Promotes integration of evidence-based research
into practice.
• Supports staff by providing resources for
implementation of evidence-based practices.
PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY
• Maintains knowledge of patient safety and
improvement sciences.
• Ensures the incorporation of patient safety
and improvement sciences with organization’s
practices.
• Participates in risk assessment (e.g., FMEA,
root cause analysis, etc.) to ensure safe, compliant
and effective care delivery.
• Develop processes that result in prompt
escalation of potential performance gaps by
system processes and staff.
6
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• Manages budget by understanding and utilizing
organization’s financial processes.
• Monitors budget to ensure accuracy of expenses
and identify variances.
• Maintains knowledge of reimbursement models
that affect care delivery.
• Maintains knowledge of health care economics
and business models to set priorities and
measurable goals.
• Participates in the creation of
department/division budget.
• Makes adjustment of budget as indicated
by variances.
• Supports financial health particularly as it
is influenced by nursing and other clinical
decisions and outcomes.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
• Collaborates with staff in the communication and
implementation of high reliability concepts (e.g.,
safety huddles, use of evidence, deferring to
expertise etc) as identified by the organization.
• Utilizes multiple sources of evidence-based data
in goal setting and decision-making.
• Ensures organizational objectives are in place
to achieve the strategic mission.
• Participates in the negotiation, monitoring and
management of contract and service agreements.
• Aligns and creates nursing/clinical objectives,
goals and tactics required to achieve the
organization’s strategic outcomes.
• Recognizes and supports the benefit and
impact of technology on care delivery, clinical
information, and financial outcomes.
• Uses evidence-based metrics to align
department/unit’s goals and objectives with
patient outcomes.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
• Builds and manages a diverse workforce based
on organizational, professional nursing, clinical
goals and outcomes, data, budget considerations,
and staffing needs.
• Ensures that employees are recruited, selected,
onboarded, educated, evaluated, and recognized
according to established standards, applicable
employment laws, and organization’s mission
vision and values.
• Manages a multisector workforce and a variety
of work situations.
• Assesses the organization’s culture to ensure the
presence of a safe and healthy work environment.
• Addresses any gaps associated with the cultural
assessment of safe and healthy work environment.
• Advances organizational policies that allow
employees to practice at the top of education
and or license.
• Establishes mechanisms that provide for
identification and mentoring of staff for
career progression.
LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP
7
SYSTEMS AND COMPLEX
ADAPTIVE THINKING
• Builds a shared vision that articulates and
influences others to translate vision into action.
• Develops new insights into situations by
questioning conventional approaches.
• Encourages staff to develop new and
innovative ideas.
• Removes barriers to help implement new
cutting-edge programs/processes.
• Creates and executes strategies for complex
situations (e.g., addressing safety issues with
workload capacity, increase nursing time at
bed side, selection, and deployment of Artificial
Intelligence in nursing).
• Leads nursing strategic planning and execution.
• Participates in nursing and organizational
strategy planning and execution.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
• Acts as a catalyst for change by seeking new
information and ideas.
• Adapts to new information, changing conditions
and unexpected obstacles.
• Assesses through analytics (e.g., gap analysis,
SWOT, etc.) if change is necessary.
• Utilizes common change models (e.g., Kotter,
Lewin) and other tools for change (e.g., PDSA,
LEAN methods).
• Supports staff in managing organizational changes.
DIVERSITY, BELONGING AND INCLUSION
• Recognizes unconscious and systemic bias
occurs in care delivery, business operations,
and through external influences.
• Leads and supports initiatives that address
racism, discrimination and bias in care delivery
and business operations.
• Encourages creative tension and differences
of opinions.
• Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity
and individual differences are valued and
maximized to achieve the vision and mission
of the organization.
• Develops the ability of others to perform and
contribute to the achievement of their goals
consistent with the organization’s vision and
mission corresponding with individual needs.
• Provides feedback and opportunities for others
to learn through formal and informal methods
corresponding with individual needs.
• Creates, promotes, and protects a culture that
supports staff, patients/clients and stakeholders
at the organization/system level.
DECISION MAKING
• Capitalizes on opportunities and takes
calculated risks.
• Identifies and objectively analyzes problems;
evaluates relevance and accuracy of information,
generates and evaluates alternative solutions,
makes recommendations and decisions.
• Makes timely decisions even when data are
limited or solutions produce unpleasant
consequences.
• Understands the impact and implications
of decisions.
• Delegates appropriately.
• Fosters professional governance in both
philosophy and structure.
TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION
• Actively looks for opportunities and takes
calculated risks to advance organization’s
mission and vision.
• Develops an organizational framework to
advance innovation.
• Allocate resources for the development of
innovation teams or methods.
• Supports the implementation of innovative ideas.
**AONLCompetenciesRawData7-11-25.xlsx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/aonlcompetenciesrawdata7-11-25-xlsx-10363497)
**Combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25.docx**
This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/combinedcompetenciesfinaldraft7-24-25-docx-10363499)
– 1
– 2
– 3