Leadership Succession Planning for Professional Nurses in a Selected Public Hospital in Mangaung District, Free State Province: A Study Protocol.

Lack of leadership succession planning in South African public hospitals places nursing leadership at great risk instead of improving healthcare. There is a significant demand for nurse managers in the Free State Province; therefore, leadership succession planning is important. The re-advertising of unfilled leadership roles, the projected volume of nurse managers who will be retiring, and the number of professional nurses opting for better international opportunities indicate the need for effective succession planning. The study aims to determine leadership succession planning for professional nurses in a selected public hospital in the Mangaung District, Free State Province. A qualitative, explorative, and descriptive research design will be used. Non-probability purposive sampling will be adopted to explore the leadership succession planning. The research participants will consist of professional nurses who are currently permanently employed within the Mangaung district, Free State Province. The sample size will be determined by data saturation. An estimated sample size of ±20 participants will be expected. Data collection will be performed through in-depth, unstructured interviews to answer the research question. A central place for interviews will be organised, and appointments will be made with participants as per their schedule or availability. Data will be analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic method. The conclusion and the recommendations will be based on the findings of the study.