Design and Evaluation of "Nursing Leadership and Management Program" among Nursing Academicians of India

Leadership and management competencies are critical in health care to ensure quality service delivery, yet they are often underemphasized in traditional nursing education.

This study presents the design and evaluation of a leadership and management training program tailored for nursing professionals in India.

A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted over 3 months with 29 senior nursing professionals (Principal and Tutors) from Odisha, India. The program design was based on Mutale's logic model, integrating Kirkpatrick's learning evaluation theory and McLeroy's socio-ecological model. Participants' knowledge was assessed pre- and posttraining using a structured test, and satisfaction was measured through feedback surveys. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and paired t -tests.

The mean knowledge score significantly increased from 14 ± 4.9 to 20 ± 2.7 posttraining ( P < 0.01). Significant improvements were observed in most modules, notably Module 8; health management information system ( P < 0.001), Module 7; Monitoring and evaluation ( P = 0.001), Module 4; Leadership ( P = 0.004), and Module 2; Organizational behavior ( P = 0.005). Modules on human resource management ( P = 0.07), Communication and Advocacy ( P = 0.14), and Task Shifting ( P = 0.28) did not show statistically significant changes. Participants expressed high satisfaction with the training content, pedagogy, and delivery. Short projects undertaken during the training reflected key competencies and practical application of learning.

The training program effectively enhanced leadership and management knowledge among nursing professionals. These findings support the integration of structured leadership training within nursing education to strengthen workforce capacity and improve healthcare delivery.