Growing nurse leaders: an undergraduate teaching assistant program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Leadership Development
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Effective leadership behaviors are crucial for nurses within the intricate healthcare system.
• Developing leadership skills early in nursing education is essential for future practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an undergraduate teaching assistant (TA) program on developing leadership behaviors in nursing students.
• To explore the effectiveness of a collaborative mentoring model in nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a structured undergraduate TA program involving collaboration with faculty and graduate TAs.
• Utilizing a collaborative mentoring approach within large class co-teaching settings.
• Providing ongoing support to undergraduate students participating in the TA program.

Main Results:

• The TA program successfully empowers undergraduate students to cultivate leadership behaviors.
• The collaborative mentoring model within the program provides a conducive environment for leadership growth.
• Co-teaching experiences facilitated the development of practical leadership skills.

Conclusions:

• The undergraduate TA program is an effective strategy for nurturing nurse leaders.
• Collaborative mentoring and structured educational experiences are key components in developing leadership competencies.
• Investing in such programs can strengthen the future nursing workforce.