Frontline Leader Certificate Program

Contact Hours: 5.25 NCPD Hours

Learning Outcome(s):

After participating in this course, learners will be able to:

• Identify the role, expectations, and responsibilities of the charge nurse/frontline leader.
• Apply shared governance principles to empower teams to make decisions that lead to improved patient care, clinical outcomes, and staff satisfaction.
• Apply skills in communication, conflict management, coaching, and feedback to situations involving relationships with patients and staff – in and across disciplines.
• Apply effective delegation, prioritization, and clinical operation knowledge to clinical scenarios.
• Identify safety compliance measures and utilize tools for safety and quality practices for successful survey readiness.

Author(s):

Sarah E. Gray, DNP, RN, CEN, FAEN

Dr. Sarah E. Gray's nursing career includes 15 years in emergency and occupational medicine as a clinician and various leadership roles. Sarah has been serving non-governmental organizations and associations for 25 years. She is currently the Chief Nursing Officer for Sigma, where she develops partnerships, continuing education programs, events, and opportunities for the global nursing community, and oversees Sigma's consultative status and programming with the United Nations (UN). Dr. Gray is a global speaker, author, and coach on practical solutions, specializing in professional branding and leadership.

Allison McCarty, RN

Allison McCarty, RN, is currently working as an Administrative Representative at St. Vincent in Fishers Indiana. She began her career at IU Health Bloomington in the Emergency Department as a Registration Clerk/Nurse Tech. After obtaining her Nursing Degree in 2003, she started as a staff nurse in the Emergency Department. She became a Charge Nurse in 2009.

Amy Costanzo, PhD, RN, RN-BC

Amy Costanzo, PhD, RN, RN-BC, currently serves as the Director for nursing education and research at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. She teaches interactive bedside nursing leadership classes and recently published "Just a Nurse, or a Bedside Leader". She is a member of the HRSA NEPQR funded team that implemented nurse-led interprofessional bedside rounding at UCMC. Her doctoral research investigated the culture of interprofessional collaborative practice.

Ashley Singh, PhD, DNP, RN, EBP-C, CEC, BCC

Ashley Singh, PhD, DNP, RN, EBP-C, CEC, BCC, is an assistant professor of nursing at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has over 10 years of experience teaching primarily in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and overseeing the leadership courses at the master's level. Dr. Singh's scholarship track is in leadership development with a focus on the development of current and emerging nurse leaders. As a leader and certified executive coach, Dr. Singh maintains her scholarly agenda through research, development programs, leadership coaching, and evidence-based practice initiatives, remaining engaged in innovative leadership projects, studies, and course/program development.

Cheri Clancy, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CPXP

Cheri Clancy, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CPXP, is a patient experience leader, author, and speaker. She is the founder of Cheri Clancy & Associates, LLC, a coaching and training firm that uses hard science as a catalyst for soft skill leadership development. Cheri has published numerous articles on leadership topics and published her first book with Sigma Theta Tau, titled Critical Conversations in Healthcare: Scripts and Techniques for Improving Interprofessional and Patient Communications.

Crissy Lough, DNP, MHA, RN

Crissy Lough, DNP, MHA, RN, is the Chief Risk, Regulatory, and Patient Safety Officer and Associate CNO for a large Academic Health Center and safety net hospital in the Midwest. Crissy has achieved a BSN, MHA, and DNP during her professional nursing career. She has 27 years of experience in risk management, nursing leadership and regulatory oversight. Her interests include risk reduction strategies, enhancing patient safety, improving the patient experience, and improving nursing outcomes. Crissy has led her organization in multiple regulatory visits, including 5 successful Joint Commission Triennial Surveys.

Dennis Doherty, PhD, RN, NPD-BC (in memoriam)

Sigma honors the contributions of the late Dr. Dennis Doherty, who passed away in 2024. He is remembered as a nurse scholar, advocate, and leader. Dennis was a Senior Professional Development Specialist Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Boston Children's Hospital, where he oversaw Nursing Orientation programming, led the Evidence-based Practice Mentorship Program, and facilitated leadership development workshops.

Kelsie Scaringe, BSN, RN, CEN

Kelsie Scaringe, BSN, RN, CEN, is 2011 graduate from Marian University School of Nursing in Indianapolis, IN. She started her career as a Medical/Surgical Nurse at Community North and shortly after join the ER at Methodist hospital in 2012 where she currently serves as a Shift Coordinator on nightshift. Kelsie is also adjunct faculty at Marian University teaching clinicals to seniors.

Rose Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Rose Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, is the Director of the Nursing Leadership Institute at Florida Atlantic University where she also serves as the Graduate Coordinator for the Nursing Administration Master's Program. Prior to joining the FAU faculty, Rose had a 25 year career with the VA. Rose serves on the Board of Directors of the ANA Leadership Institute. She writes a popular leadership blog www.emergingrnleader.com and is editor of Nurse Leader, the official journal of AONE.

Terry Eggenberger, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, CNL

Terry Eggenberger, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, CNL, is an Associate Professor at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University. She holds certification in three areas: Nurse Executive Advanced, Nurse Educator, and Clinical Nurse Leader. Dr. Eggenberger's research interests are related to interprofessional practice, leadership, communication and teamwork. Her doctoral research was on Holding the Frontline: The Experience of Being a Charge Nurse in an Acute Care Setting.