Baccalaureate nursing students' perspectives of their clinical nursing leadership experience

This qualitative study using Colaizzi's (1978) method of protocol analysis describes baccalaureate nursing students' perspectives of a clinical nursing leadership experience. Students participated in pre- and postexperience focused interviews and completed logs during their experience. Findings revealed that although students felt pre-experience anxiety, they held positive expectations and anticipated acquiring skills for the clinical leadership role. During the process, students experienced emerging clarification of the leadership/management role and became aware of support systems. As a result of the clinical leadership activity, students experienced an emerging sense of confidence, developed a value system prizing professional nursing needed for managing care for a group of patients, and added desirable leadership qualities to their repertoire of skills. Gaining entrance into the nursing care delivery system and being actively involved in leadership activities were necessary for acquisition of skills.