Creative practicum leadership experiences in rural settings

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Rural Health
• Leadership Studies

Background:

• Rural healthcare systems offer unique learning opportunities for nursing students.
• Effective leadership is crucial for managing diverse patient needs in rural settings.
• Prelicensure nursing education can benefit from specialized leadership training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of a rural clinical leadership practicum for prelicensure nursing students.
• To outline the implementation process of this leadership course in rural healthcare environments.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the practicum in applying leadership concepts.

Main Methods:

• Course development based on leadership principles.
• Implementation within small rural healthcare systems.
• Evaluation of student application of leadership concepts.

Main Results:

• The practicum successfully integrated leadership theory with rural practice.
• Students gained practical experience in leadership roles within diverse rural settings.
• The course provided a framework for leadership development in underserved areas.

Conclusions:

• Rural clinical leadership practicums are effective for prelicensure nursing students.
• This model enhances leadership skill development in rural healthcare contexts.
• Further research should explore long-term impacts on rural nursing leadership.