Succession planning identifies who could take on leadership responsibilities and what preparation they need. A useful plan answers two different questions: who can provide coverage now, and how will nurses develop the capabilities needed for future roles?
AONL's workforce paper describes succession planning as an intentional approach to leadership continuity and developing potential leaders. Its recommendations include pathways at different organizational levels and measurable goals. AONL succession paper
Start with responsibilities
Identify the work that needs continuity if a leader leaves or becomes unavailable. Include decisions, approvals, relationships and knowledge that currently depend on one person.
Separate immediate coverage from appointment to a permanent position. An interim assignment needs a defined scope, support and escalation route even when a long-term recruitment process continues.
Do not build the plan around assumptions about a colleague's age or retirement intentions. Use appropriate workforce information and direct, voluntary career conversations.
Make development accessible
Explain how nurses can express interest and how development opportunities are allocated. Provide information across shifts and locations rather than relying only on who happens to work near senior leaders.
Distinguish current performance, career interest and readiness for a different role. Strong clinical work does not by itself answer whether someone is prepared for responsibilities such as managing a budget or supervising a team.
Invite nurses to choose development aligned with their own goals. Leadership development should not imply that remaining in direct care is a lesser contribution.
Link experience to a learning goal
For each opportunity, specify the capability being developed and the support available. A council assignment might focus on facilitating a meeting; a supervised project might develop planning and evaluation skills.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management describes succession support in terms of assessing critical positions, readiness and development gaps, with training linked to relevant competencies. This is a federal workforce planning example, not a requirement imposed on all nursing employers. OPM succession planning
Use that distinction when adapting a framework: borrow the planning questions without importing unrelated hiring rules.
Preserve knowledge without promising a job
Document essential contacts, recurring decisions and unresolved work through approved organizational systems. Arrange supervised exposure to responsibilities before a transition when feasible.
Explain that participation in a development program is not necessarily a promise of promotion. State how vacancies are filled and how readiness will be assessed.
Protect personnel information while making the process understandable. Staff should be able to see the selection principles without receiving private assessments of colleagues.
Evaluate continuity and fairness
Review whether development activities occurred, whether participants received feedback and whether coverage arrangements are workable.
Examine access across units, schedules and employee groups. If the same small group receives every opportunity, investigate the selection process rather than assuming others lack interest.
For a preceptor vacancy, use a preceptor succession plan to identify who can teach the work and what support that nurse needs.
Related
manager span of control · preceptor succession · mentorship and sponsorship.
Sources
- Nurse Manager Succession Planning (accessed 2026-09-17) — AONL Workforce Committee, 2023/2024.
- Succession Planning (accessed 2026-09-17) — U.S. OPM.