A New Leadership Development Model for Nursing Education

Background: Leadership competency is required throughout nursing. Students have difficulty understanding leadership as integral to education and practice. A consistent framework for nursing leadership education, strong scholarship and an evidence base are limited. Purpose: To establish an integrated leadership development model for prelicensure nursing students that recognizes leadership as a fundamental skill for nursing practice and promotes development of nursing leadership education scholarship. Method: Summarizing definitions of nursing leadership, conceptualizing leadership development capacity through reviewing trends, and synthesizing existing leadership theories through directed content analysis. Discussion: Nine leadership skills form the organizing structure for the Nursing Leadership Development Model. Leadership identity development is supported via dimensions of knowing, doing, being and context. Conclusion: The Nursing Leadership Development Model is a conceptual map offering a structure to facilitate leadership development within prelicensure nursing students, promoting student ability to internalize leadership capacity and apply leadership skills upon entry to practice.