Collaborative Leadership Education Through Community Partnerships

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Leadership Development
• Public Health

Background:

• Prelicensure nursing students require leadership development to meet contemporary healthcare demands.
• Entry-level nurses must address health equity and interprofessional collaboration.
• Developing leadership skills is crucial for addressing diverse patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance nursing leadership skills in prelicensure students.
• To foster collaboration between nursing students and community agencies.
• To promote health equity and leadership in vulnerable populations.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative, experiential learning approach was used.
• Students formed team partnerships with human services agencies.
• Projects involved assessing, planning, and implementing community-based initiatives.

Main Results:

• Student skills improved in teamwork, interprofessional communication, and project development.
• Enhanced abilities in community collaboration and social justice advocacy were observed.
• Students demonstrated refined self-reflective practice and scholarship dissemination.

Conclusions:

• The practicum fostered a mutually beneficial partnership between nursing students and human services agencies.
• The program successfully promoted health in vulnerable populations.
• Nursing leadership qualities were significantly refined in participating students.