ICN Leadership for Change Programme
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Leadership for Change programme, operational since 1996, building leadership and management capacity of nurses worldwide. Uses a cascading model where ICN trains national facilitators who then train participants in-country. Over 90 countries have participated.
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Framework Domains (15)
Assessment
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-12 | Assessment and Certification |
Evaluation
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-13 | Post-Programme Evaluation |
| LFC-14 | Longitudinal Impact Tracking |
Leadership and Management Skills
Core leadership and management competencies for nursing leaders including communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and team building.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ICN-LFC-LM-01 | Effective communication and influence for nursing leaders |
| ICN-LFC-LM-02 | Decision-making and problem-solving in healthcare contexts |
| ICN-LFC-LM-03 | Team building and collaborative leadership |
| ICN-LFC-LM-04 | Conflict resolution and negotiation skills |
| ICN-LFC-LM-05 | Developing others - mentoring and coaching emerging nursing leaders for future roles |
Leading Change
Competencies for leading and managing organizational change in healthcare settings, including vision-setting, strategic thinking, and transformation management.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ICN-LFC-LC-01 | Establishing a vision for nursing and healthcare transformation |
| ICN-LFC-LC-02 | Leading organizational change using evidence-based change models |
| ICN-LFC-LC-03 | Building coalitions and partnerships for healthcare improvement |
| ICN-LFC-LC-04 | Strategic thinking and environmental analysis for nursing leadership |
Localisation
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-15 | Cultural and Language Adaptation |
Modules
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-5 | Module 1 - Health Systems and Policy |
| LFC-6 | Module 2 - Leadership and Management |
| LFC-7 | Module 3 - Strategy and Change |
| LFC-8 | Module 4 - Quality, Safety and Outcomes |
Networking and Partnerships
Building and leveraging professional networks, intersectoral partnerships, and collaborative relationships for healthcare improvement.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ICN-LFC-NP-01 | Networking and relationship building - building professional networks across healthcare disciplines |
| ICN-LFC-NP-02 | Intersectoral collaboration and partnership development |
| ICN-LFC-NP-03 | International engagement and cross-cultural competence |
| ICN-LFC-NP-04 | Community engagement and public health partnerships |
Operations
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-18 | Data Protection and Privacy |
| LFC-19 | Sustainability and Funding |
| LFC-20 | Reporting to ICN |
Participants
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-3 | Participant Selection |
| LFC-4 | Pre-Programme Assessment |
Personal Development and Resilience
Self-awareness, continuous learning, emotional intelligence, and resilience for sustained leadership effectiveness.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ICN-LFC-PD-01 | Self-awareness and reflective practice for nursing leaders |
| ICN-LFC-PD-02 | Emotional intelligence and interpersonal effectiveness |
| ICN-LFC-PD-03 | Resilience and self-care for sustained leadership |
| ICN-LFC-PD-04 | Lifelong learning and professional development planning |
| ICN-LFC-PD-05 | Ethical leadership and values-based practice |
Policy and Advocacy
Competencies for engaging in health policy development, advocacy for nursing, and influencing health system decisions.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ICN-LFC-PA-01 | Health policy analysis and engagement for nursing influence |
| ICN-LFC-PA-02 | Advocacy strategies for nursing workforce and patient care |
| ICN-LFC-PA-03 | Stakeholder engagement and political awareness in healthcare |
| ICN-LFC-PA-04 | Evidence-based positioning for policy influence |
| ICN-LFC-PA-05 | Member association roles and obligations - fulfilling ICN constitutional governance responsibilities and duties |
| ICN-LFC-PA-06 | ICN Position Statements on nursing advocacy - evidence-based policy positions advancing the nursing profession |
Programme Foundation
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-1 | Programme Governance |
| LFC-16 | Equity, Diversity and Inclusion |
| LFC-2 | Faculty Selection and Accreditation |
Quality
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-17 | Programme Quality Management |
Strategic and Business Planning
Competencies for developing and implementing strategic plans, business cases, and resource mobilization for nursing organizations.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ICN-LFC-SB-01 | Strategic planning and implementation for nursing organizations |
| ICN-LFC-SB-02 | Business case development and resource mobilization |
| ICN-LFC-SB-03 | Financial management and sustainability planning |
| ICN-LFC-SB-04 | Performance measurement and quality improvement |
| ICN-LFC-SB-05 | Capacity building - strengthening organizational and workforce capabilities for sustained improvement |
Workplace Application
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| LFC-10 | Mentorship and Coaching |
| LFC-11 | Peer Learning and Cohort Networks |
| LFC-9 | Action Learning Projects |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with ICN Leadership for Change Programme, you already cover:
LEADS in a Caring Environment
47%
23 controls mapped
Compare →NHS Healthcare Leadership Model
29%
14 controls mapped
Compare →Goleman Emotional Intelligence Leadership Framework
27%
13 controls mapped
Compare →+ 29 more: The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes & Posner) (22%), Heifetz Adaptive Leadership Framework (20%)
See all 32 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 32 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ICN Leadership for Change Programme?
ICN Leadership for Change Programme is a compliance framework from International with 15 domains and 49 controls. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Leadership for Change programme, operational since 1996, building leadership and management capacity of nurses worldwide. Uses a cascading model where ICN trains national facilitators who then train participants in-country. Over 90 countries have participated. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does ICN Leadership for Change Programme have?
ICN Leadership for Change Programme has 49 controls organised across 15 domains. The largest domains are Policy and Advocacy (6 controls), Leadership and Management Skills (5 controls), Personal Development and Resilience (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does ICN Leadership for Change Programme map to?
ICN Leadership for Change Programme maps to 32 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are LEADS in a Caring Environment (47% coverage), NHS Healthcare Leadership Model (29% coverage), Goleman Emotional Intelligence Leadership Framework (27% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with ICN Leadership for Change Programme compliance?
Start your ICN Leadership for Change Programme compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about ICN Leadership for Change Programme requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 49 controls and track your progress.
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