. 2019 Oct 7;27:e3178. doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.2833.3178

Figure 3. Narratives of nurses related to category 2 and their subcategories regarding the succession planning of leaders in the hospital. Central-West Region, Brazil, 2016.

Potential and openness to plan succession of leadership in Nursing
Nursing leadership at the hospital in five years time	I think there will be a great demand for retirement, we had many at the beginning of this year and, five years from now, it must be bigger, I'll be in this group! This group of my group, we entered the public service in 90, we will be retired in five years or even less and you will assume and the prospect is good, as long as you are committed to the institution, at least knowledge, you are having, allied knowledge with commitment would be idea. (D5) I see it as a very positive point, some people will have to retire compulsorily and this succession will have to happen whether they want it or not. (C4) I think there has to be a total renewal in the nursing team, with training and courses, you have to have a lot of training to carry out a big hospital. (S13) I'm sure we'll have great nurses, very skilled in leadership, I think there are a lot of people with potential. (D2) I see with good perspective, are entering many new people with a very good profile. (D1) Today is beautiful to think, we have a group of doctorates in Nursing with a greater and better qualification, with a more effective professionalization, with this ability to convey, to plan, to lead. I very much believe that this will bear fruit, yes, I want to see this Nursing from five years to now totally different here, by the commitment of these doctors who are forming here and are the professionals that will replace us. (C5) I think it has to change, I think a lot of things get better when you see a new person doing it, I think it has to change, not that you have to change everybody, but there are some people who have been in the lead for a long time. (S1)
Strengths for the implementation of a leadership succession plan	If we think in a systematic way, we can have better educated leaders. (S14) I think it's necessary to think about it because otherwise we will face very serious problems in a few years. (S6) I think so, I think you should do it because being a leader today has changed your vision, in the old days, that was it, you said it and that's it, but today, no, to be a leader, you have to be able to lead, have an overview of the world, has changed a lot. If you develop this project here, the hospital has a lot to gain. (L2) We have several tools for this, we have a cadre of masters, doctors, post-doctors, we have an approach to the university, we find availability of university professors, we find the doors open. You have to have good will and I'm noticing that goodwill exists. (L3) I see that everyone is open to change too, and everyone wants the best for the future of the hospital, even those in management, they want the best too. (S11) For Nursing, it is essential to think about it, it is as if you were lighting a little light there and saying that we can leave, that the ground is prepared and this is very important. We cannot lose what we have achieved, from the moment I see that it will continue and that this planning will appear and that I will not have this fear that tomorrow, when I leave, that it is ready, is ready. (D1) This work you are doing is already opening up our awareness and concern. If you help make a model available, then there's going to be a building there, because this is happening to us now. If we can leave this product for everyone, as guidance, it will be too good because I believe in our profession, I believe in Nursing, I believe in the leadership power of those who are in here. (C5)

Potential and openness to plan succession of leadership in Nursing

Nursing leadership at the hospital in five years time

I think there will be a great demand for retirement, we had many at the beginning of this year and, five years from now, it must be bigger, I'll be in this group! This group of my group, we entered the public service in 90, we will be retired in five years or even less and you will assume and the prospect is good, as long as you are committed to the institution, at least knowledge, you are having, allied knowledge with commitment would be idea. (D5)
I see it as a very positive point, some people will have to retire compulsorily and this succession will have to happen whether they want it or not. (C4)
I think there has to be a total renewal in the nursing team, with training and courses, you have to have a lot of training to carry out a big hospital. (S13)
I'm sure we'll have great nurses, very skilled in leadership, I think there are a lot of people with potential. (D2)
I see with good perspective, are entering many new people with a very good profile. (D1)
Today is beautiful to think, we have a group of doctorates in Nursing with a greater and better qualification, with a more effective professionalization, with this ability to convey, to plan, to lead. I very much believe that this will bear fruit, yes, I want to see this Nursing from five years to now totally different here, by the commitment of these doctors who are forming here and are the professionals that will replace us. (C5)
I think it has to change, I think a lot of things get better when you see a new person doing it, I think it has to change, not that you have to change everybody, but there are some people who have been in the lead for a long time. (S1)

Strengths for the implementation of a leadership succession plan

If we think in a systematic way, we can have better educated leaders. (S14)
I think it's necessary to think about it because otherwise we will face very serious problems in a few years. (S6)
I think so, I think you should do it because being a leader today has changed your vision, in the old days, that was it, you said it and that's it, but today, no, to be a leader, you have to be able to lead, have an overview of the world, has changed a lot. If you develop this project here, the hospital has a lot to gain. (L2)
We have several tools for this, we have a cadre of masters, doctors, post-doctors, we have an approach to the university, we find availability of university professors, we find the doors open. You have to have good will and I'm noticing that goodwill exists. (L3)
I see that everyone is open to change too, and everyone wants the best for the future of the hospital, even those in management, they want the best too. (S11)
For Nursing, it is essential to think about it, it is as if you were lighting a little light there and saying that we can leave, that the ground is prepared and this is very important. We cannot lose what we have achieved, from the moment I see that it will continue and that this planning will appear and that I will not have this fear that tomorrow, when I leave, that it is ready, is ready. (D1)
This work you are doing is already opening up our awareness and concern. If you help make a model available, then there's going to be a building there, because this is happening to us now. If we can leave this product for everyone, as guidance, it will be too good because I believe in our profession, I believe in Nursing, I believe in the leadership power of those who are in here. (C5)