What is Ready to Lead?

Continuing Care: Ready to Lead (R2L) is a microcredential series designed for experienced continuing care assistants (CCAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and similar frontline continuing care professionals to help them prepare for leadership roles in continuing care. The R2L program consists of 90 hours of professional development delivered over 8 months meaning participants only need to commit 2 to 3 hours per week to successfully complete the program. Microcredentials at MSVU are not for academic credit, but support the development of valuable skills and competencies relevant in the workplace. R2L consists of the following six non-credit microcredentials:

Leadership Fundamentals: Are You Ready to Lead?

6-week module
15 hours of professional development
including 12.5 hours of live meetings + 30-minute one-on-one + 2 hours of self-study
≈2.5 hours per week

In Leadership Fundamentals: Are you ready to lead?, participants will learn about the art and science of leadership and what being a leader means. Participants will explore their personal leadership styles, learn about other leadership styles, and work together to begin developing the core competencies required to be an effective leader in health care. Each participant will develop an initial personal leadership development plan through reflection and by exploring where they are in their personal leadership journey. We will revisit and revise these development plans in Module 6, the last module of the Ready to Lead program.

Understanding the Nova Scotia Health Care System

6-week module
15 hours of professional development
including 15 hours live meetings
≈2.5 hours per week

Understanding the Nova Scotia Health Care System: How it fits together will provide participants with a general understanding of the Nova Scotia public health care system’s organizational structure and services within the broader Canadian health care context. Particular focus will be given to the continuing care system including how it interacts with other parts of the health system. Information will also be shared regarding community-based supports and services relevant to continuing care clients and residents. Participants will also learn how to conduct root cause analysis along with different advocacy strategies they can use to bring about positive changes at an individual program and system level.

Communication Skills: What You Say Next Matters

6-week module
15 hours of professional development
including 12.5 hours of live meetings + 30-minute pair activity + 2 hours of self-study
≈2.5 hours per week

Being able to communicate clearly and authentically is critical in providing effective leadership. Leaders need to instill confidence and trust through their communications not only with their team members but with the individuals and families they serve, as well as a variety of community, government, and business partners. In Communication Skills: What you say next matters, participants will examine their personal communication styles and explore other communication styles, learning strategies for determining and applying the appropriate style for specific situations and audiences. Participants will also learn that listening skills are equally important in successful communication and will practice new skills designed to increase their understanding of the messages other people are communicating to them.

Building Connections: Why Relationships Matter

6-week module
15 hours of professional development
including 15 hours of live meetings
≈2.5 hours per week

Leadership is about influence and influence is gained through trust. In Building Connections: Why relationships matter, participants will learn the critical nature relationships play in effective leadership. They will gain new insights and skills into how to develop and sustain relationships that will enable them and others to perform to their full potential in supporting clients, colleagues, and communities while achieving organizational goals.

Ethical Problem Solving: When There Are No Good Options

6-week module
15 hours of professional development
including 12.5 hours of live meetings + 2.5 hours of self-study
≈2.5 hours per week

More and more, leaders are called upon to deal with increasingly complex and complicated situations. In Ethical Problem Solving: When there are no good options, participants will explore and enhance their critical thinking and analytical skills to improve their problem-solving abilities. They will also explore and apply ethical decision-making tools to help them navigate ethical dilemmas commonly faced in continuing care settings.

Developing as a Leader: Your Personal Leadership Journey

6-week module
15 hours of professional development
including 12.5 hours of live meetings + 30-minute one-on-one + 2 hours of self-study
≈2.5 hours per week

Developing as a Leader: Your personal leadership journey is a capstone module reflecting on participants’ growth as leaders. Participants will review their initial leadership development plan developed in Module 1, revising and finalizing it. Additional leadership concepts and skills will be examined and explored to prepare leaders for the next phase of their leadership journey.

Upon completion of each module, participants receive a digital badge through MyCreds indicating the skills and competencies developed, alongside the module’s requirements for success. Once all modules are successfully completed, a comprehensive digital badge is awarded indicating the suite of assessed skills and competencies demonstrated by the participant. All R2L microcredentials have been developed using current industry-relevant best practice information. MSVU is grateful to our partners from Northwood and Shannex for providing valuable input and feedback throughout the development process.

Northwood logo

Shannex logo

 

 

 

Who can register?

To register for R2L, participants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have a minimum of 3 years of domestic and/or international frontline experience in continuing care or a related health care field or disability support service
  • Be currently employed in a frontline continuing care, residential care, home care, long term care or similar role in Nova Scotia
  • Must be in current good standing with their relevant college, professional regulatory body, or provincial committee (where applicable)
  • Be endorsed by the participant’s current employer, such as their immediate supervisor or a senior leader in the organization
  • Be able to participate fully in the program, including scheduled live online meetings, completing occasional collaborative projects, and regular self-study activities

How much does it cost?

Through a generous grant provided by Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, this program will be free to all participants for cohorts starting in Fall 2025.

Nova Scotia government logo

When and where is it offered?

R2L microcredentials are delivered online beginning the week of October 27th. Participants for Fall 2025 are scheduled to complete the R2L program by the end of June 2025, with a month-long programming break from December through early January.

How do I register?

Applications for Fall 2025 will be opening shortly. If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact us at microcredentials@msvu.ca.

How does R2L expand my professional opportunities?

These microcredentials will add to your leadership knowledge and skills and help you grow your professional network. You will be able to share your microcredentials’ badges with prospective employers so they understand the leadership preparation you have completed. Employers set the qualifications required for their leadership positions; MSVU cannot offer any guaranteed outcomes on behalf of employers.