Perceptions and experiences of leadership in undergraduate nurse education: A narrative inquiry

Background This research explored the experiences and perceptions of leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing education. The development of leadership skills in the pre-registration period is often considered a continuous process, and evidence suggests there has been an inconsistent approach to leadership within undergraduate nurse education. Exploring perceptions of experiences in this area was deemed important to guide future leadership development for undergraduate nursing students and formed the rationale for this Doctoral study. Design and methods The phenomena of interest were the expectations, experiences and perceptions of student nurses, academics, and nurses in preparation for the role of leadership. A narrative methodology to learning and contexts of learning was applied, data collection included semi structured interviews conducted early in 2020. Metaphorical associations through images are thought to support leadership development and philosophies; therefore, photographic elicitation was used to evoke association and emotions, facilitate reflection, and enable expression. The framework for narrative inquiry combined with the theoretical background was used for data analysis. Results Leadership is perceived to be an important aspect of the role of a qualified nurse and should be considered as central to learning development for undergraduate students. While all participants valued the importance of leadership in nursing, this research revealed how each narrated experience of leadership holds emotional impact on how leadership is viewed in self and others. Conclusions Participants' experience shaped each story of perceptions of leadership, both within education and in clinical practice. Students' narratives revealed tensions between expectations of leadership, defining leadership and associating their experiences with a personal vision of self as leader in the future role, along with a perceived disconnect between the social and cultural experiences and context of learning. Tensions within the experiences of the academics also revealed a juxtaposition between aligning their experience of leadership with the educational preparation of students and the experiences from clinical leadership, within the social constructs of dual professions and learning contexts