Healthcare leaders across the industry strive to improve patient care, foster positive environments for their staff, and make strategic decisions that drive organizational success. In “Healthcare Leadership Principles,” get a firsthand look at the core systems, theories, and concepts essential to becoming a strong healthcare leader. This course will equip you with the foundational skills to apply leadership, teamwork, and communication, empowering you to navigate the complexities of healthcare leadership with confidence. Included in the course is an immersive, extended-reality simulation, where you will make critical decisions to help a team of mountain climbers to the top of a summit. The interactive exercise will allow you to practice the leadership skills learned throughout the course and reflect on the challenges and successes you encountered through the experience. You will also learn to discuss the important role of policy and advocacy and their impact on healthcare. By learning essential leadership skills, you’ll be able to develop your own leadership style and advance your career in healthcare management.
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Healthcare Leadership Principles
This course is part of Leadership for Healthcare Professionals Specialization
Instructors: Barbara R. Medvec, DNP, RN, MSA, MSN, NEA-BC
Included with 
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Learn to articulate foundational leadership theories and concepts
Apply effective communication skills that distinguish you as an effective professional healthcare leader
Recognize the important role of policy advocacy for healthcare organizations
Utilize effective advocacy techniques at the leadership level to make and affect positive change
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April 2025
10 assignments
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There are 4 modules in this course
Welcome to the Healthcare Leadership Principles course, the first course of the Leadership for Healthcare Professionals specialization! This Module, you will learn the foundational principles of leadership, answering the major question of what is and is not leadership. You will also start learning how to self-assess your leadership style.
What's included
5 videos8 readings3 assignments1 app item2 discussion prompts
Welcome to Module 2! In this Module, you will learn the many facets of communication styles that can play an important role in exhibiting leadership. You will develop your skills in addressing effective communication in leadership and consider effective interprofessional communication best practices.
What's included
4 videos6 readings2 assignments2 discussion prompts
Welcome to Module 3! In this Module, you will learn about affecting change in healthcare. To this end, you will learn about the foundational concepts related to change, such as the theory of change, policy, and advocacy.
What's included
7 videos4 readings3 assignments1 app item
Welcome to our last Module of the course, Module 4! In this Module, you will learn how to use diverse advocacy methods and techniques to affect positive change in healthcare and in healthcare policy. To this end, you will learn more about using discrete strategies to create and sustain your executive/leadership presence. You will also develop an awareness of advocacy in healthcare teams and the ethics of influencing policy.
What's included
9 videos6 readings2 assignments1 app item2 discussion prompts
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Healthcare Management
University of Michigan
University of Michigan
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Frequently asked questions
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When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
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