The Diamond Model: Achieving Professional Excellence

In 2010, I completed my research for my doctoral degree with a quantitative study that focused on the influence of perceived leadership characteristics on nurse satisfaction. The findings of the study has been the foundation for my professional interests ever since1. The results reiterated the importance of leadership competencies and how these competencies or perceived behaviors impact nurses' satisfaction. As leaders, we must be aware of how our actions, interactions, verbal and nonverbal cues come across to others. For nurses to be active members of Nursing Excellence, they must have Professional Excellence. Nursing excellence is the excellence of the nursing function in a hospital, for example, of or the entire nursing profession; Professional excellence is the excellence of an individual nurse. There are many references to collective nursing excellence: helping nurses make their optimal contribution to patients and their work environments and the recognition of their effort.2