Faculty Spotlight: Susan Weaver

Hear from Dr. Susan Weaver, faculty for AONL's Administrative Supervisors: Leading with Excellence program.

How long have you been a part of the AONL faculty, and what inspired you to this position?

I joined the AONL faculty with the launch of the first AONL Administrative Supervisor conference in 2024. My inspiration stemmed from a key finding in my dissertation research, funded by an AONL Foundation grant, which revealed a significant gap in role-specific education for administrative supervisors. In 2020, we had planned an AONL preconference session dedicated to this need, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those efforts. The 2024 conference finally provided an opportunity to bridge this gap, delivering essential education to administrative supervisors nationwide. My passion for this role is both professional and personal—I served as an administrative supervisor for many years and deeply understand the challenges and impact of this position. Being part of AONL allows me to contribute to meaningful education and leadership development for those in this vital role.

What excites you most about teaching this course, and what key takeaways do you hope attendees gain?

What excites me most about this conference is the opportunity to provide supervisors with role-specific education tailored to their unique leadership challenges—something that has historically been lacking. The AONL Administrative Supervisor Conference is a one-of-a-kind event designed specifically for this group of nurse leaders. This year’s conference will delve into the latest research on the administrative supervisor role, the applicability of the ANA Nursing Leadership Scope and Standards, Authentic Leadership, Crisis Management and strategies for healthy practices for supervisors. Additionally, a panel of three experienced supervisors will share their real-world conflict scenarios and how they navigated the situation successfully.

My hope is that attendees not only connect with fellow supervisors but leave with increased knowledge, confidence and actionable strategies to enhance and sustain their leadership effectiveness in this demanding role.

What trends or challenges in nursing leadership are you most passionate about addressing, and how does this course help tackle them?

As a nurse scientist, I am deeply passionate about advancing research on the administrative supervisor role—a critical yet often overlooked position in nursing leadership. I was the first to conduct empirical investigations and publish on this role, driven by insights from my years of experience as an administrative supervisor.

One of the biggest challenges in nursing leadership is the lack of role-specific education and competencies for administrative supervisors. This conference directly addresses that gap. This year, we will present our work on functional competencies for administrative supervisors based on AONL’s core competencies—an essential step in defining and strengthening the role. Additionally, we will introduce an upcoming research study examining the span of control for administrative supervisors, furthering our understanding of their workload and organizational impact.

By participating in this conference, attendees will gain research-based insights and practical strategies to enhance their leadership effectiveness and contribute to shaping the future of the administrative supervisor role.

What motivates you to stay at the forefront of nursing leadership and education?

My greatest motivation comes from the administrative supervisors themselves—their dedication, enthusiasm and engagement inspire me to continue advancing this nursing leadership role. Every time a supervisor reaches out with a question, shares an insight or expresses how our work has strengthened their role, it reaffirms my commitment. I am driven to magnify the impact of administrative supervisors, elevate their contributions as nurse leaders and ensure they receive the recognition, education and support they deserve.