Igniting the leadership spark in nursing students: leading the way

New graduate nurses are not always prepared for the challenges of the chaotic clinical environment, and often struggle to demonstrate sufficient clinical leadership skills. Facilitating the acquisition of leadership abilities in students will support the pursuit to generate competent nursing graduates fully prepared to effectively function in today's challenging healthcare environment. Nursing faculty need to implement more creative ways of introducing leadership qualities to nursing students. Nurse educators can be proactive in implementing leadership strategies for students, based on The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart, as described by Kouzes and Posner. By continuing to "lead the way" for professional leadership skills in nursing students, nursing faculty can possibly expect leadership activities to emerge in settings in which the students practice.