Leadership Development Among Senior Nursing Students: A Mixed-Method Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Leadership Development
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Leadership skills are crucial in nursing education but under-examined in senior students.
• This study explores leadership styles, opportunities, and challenges in nursing students' leadership development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate leadership styles among senior nursing students.
• To identify perceived opportunities and challenges in leadership development.
• To compare leadership attributes between third- and fourth-year nursing students.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach with 200 B.Sc. Nursing students (third and fourth year) in Chennai.
• Quantitative data collected via Blake and Mouton grid and Likert scales (Cronbach's α = 0.81, 0.79).
• Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews (n=10); thematic analysis used.

Main Results:

• Team-oriented leadership was prevalent (98% third year, 93% fourth year).
• Significant differences found between year levels in people-oriented, task-oriented, and global leadership scores.
• Fourth-year students perceived more clinical/simulation opportunities; third-years valued mentorship. Key challenges included workload, socio-cultural barriers, and institutional support.

Conclusions:

• Senior nursing students favor participatory leadership, with variations by academic year.
• Leadership development is influenced by increasing opportunities but constrained by persistent challenges.
• Recommendations include structured training, mentorship, and experiential learning to enhance leadership readiness.