Self-Leadership and Associated Factors in Nursing Students: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study

Nurse leaders face high pressure, but self-leadership can help them thrive. Nursing students, therefore, should develop this skill before graduation.

To investigate nursing students' self-leadership perceptions and associated factors, and to reveal when and how self-leadership strategies are utilized.

An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design with interpretative description; 943 nursing students were surveyed and 13 were selected for qualitative analysis. Descriptive data were collected, and self-leadership was assessed using the Revised Self-Leadership Questionnaire. Focus group interviews were analyzed through thematic and content analysis.

Students who were employed, were involved in student clubs or organizations, held managerial roles, and had career goals exhibited higher self-leadership perceptions. Qualitative findings revealed that staying in comfort zones, overthinking, and procrastination hinder self-leadership, while self-respect, self-awareness, and self-determination enhance it.

Nurse educators should design interventions that enable students to take on planning roles, advance at their own pace, and engage in opportunities to develop their self-leadership skills.