Fairfield University faculty and alumni collaborate on leadership guide supporting new nurses’ career success and resilience.
Fairfield University will host An Evening with Nurses: Stories, Inspiration, and Leadership on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Fairfield University Store, 1499 Post Road. The event will feature a discussion and book signing with authors of the newly released, An Empowering Leadership Guide for Emerging Nurses: Surviving the Shift (Cognella Academic Publishing, July 15, 2025).
Among the speakers will be Linda Roney, EdD, RN-BC, CPEN, CNE, FAAN, professor at Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Roney and co-authors from across the country will share their insights and experiences related to leadership, resilience, and navigating the early stages of a nursing career. Themes include starting strong, rising through the challenges, and self-advocacy and patient- advocacy in the healthcare setting.
The book highlights the importance of feeling valued and supported in the workplace, and offers real-world scenarios and practical advice tailored to the unique challenges faced by novice nurses, the transition to a first role, building effective teams, coping with incivility and workplace violence, and developing a strong professional identity.
The project, which began with a mission to address systemic issues in nursing and evolved into a unique collaboration of 24 authors — nurse leaders, new nurses, faculty, and health system executives. Approximately 80% of contributors have strong ties to Fairfield University.
Notably, the 12 featured new nurse authors are Fairfield BSN graduates, with additional contributors including four Egan School faculty members, graduates of Fairfield’s DNP program, and a professor from the southwestern region of the United States who is a graduate of the University’s second-degree program.
The book’s first story highlights recent Egan School alumni reflecting on the real-life challenges they encountered early in their careers — offering candid, relatable, and inspiring advice. Each chapter concludes with tactical insights from Dr. Roney, designed to empower students and new nurses as they transition into practice. “We wrote An Empowering Leadership Guide for Emerging Nurses: Surviving the Shift to give new and aspiring nurses the tools, confidence, and support I wish I had early in my own career, said Dr. Roney. “This book—and this event—are about more than leadership.
They’re about creating a community where nurses feel seen, valued, and empowered to lead change in healthcare from day one.” Dr. Roney is a professor of nursing at the Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies. She is a nationally recognized expert in pediatric trauma nursing whose work includes research, clinical practice, service, testimony to state and federal agencies, and leadership for improving nursing care for injured children. Additionally, Roney is a bedside nurse at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. She earned her BSN from Villanova University, and her MSN and EdD degrees from Southern Connecticut State University.
Beyond its use in senior-level leadership courses for nursing students, An Empowering Leadership Guide for Emerging Nurses: Surviving the Shift is also a valuable resource for hospital-based nurse residency programs. Its universal themes—workplace growth, advocacy, and belonging—will resonate with a broader audience beyond the nursing profession. To register please visit: An Evening with Nurses: Stories, Inspiration, and Leadership.
Event Details
An Evening with Nurses: Stories, Inspiration, and Leadership
Thursday, Sept. 25 | 4 – 7 p.m.
Fairfield University Store | 1499 Post Road, Fairfield, CT
Featuring Linda Roney, EdD, RN-BC, FAAN and contributing authors of An Empowering Leadership Guide for Emerging Nurses.
