Factors Associated with Leadership Behaviors in Nursing Students

Abstract

Over the next twenty years it is anticipated that novice nurses will begin to fill vacant nurse leadership positions as “the Baby Boomer” generation nurses retire. The Hawai’i Academic Progression in Nursing Leadership and Mentorship (L&M) program developed and implemented a pilot program using modules from the New Careers in Nursing Leadership Development Toolkit (4th edition) and the New Careers in Nursing Mentoring Program Toolkit and Handbook published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The purpose of the study was to identify and describe factors associated with nursing student leadership behaviors. Three cohorts of students participated in completing a survey developed for the purposes of this study. The first cohort was used to pilot the L&M program. The other two cohorts had components of the L&M program integrated into their nursing undergraduate curriculum. The results revealed a number of observable differences amongst the three cohorts. For example, the findings showed students self-report of preparedness to take on a leadership position upon completion of the program differed by cohort. In the Executive RN to BSN cohort (100%) responded they felt prepared to take on a leadership position, while 57.1% of the KCC nursing cohort and 38.6% of the UHM nursing cohort felt prepared to take on a leadership position. The finding of this study will contribute to our understanding of nursing L&M education. However, future studies are required to continue improving our knowledge of leadership development in undergraduate education to ensure sustainability of leadership as Baby Boomers leave the nursing workforce.