Leadership and pre-registration nurse education

Key findings • This rapid review analysed studies from nursing literature from 2008-2012 to answer the question: What approaches are being taken to teach and grow leadership skills in pre-registration nurse education in the UK? • The evidence base on effectiveness of nurse leadership skills teaching is limited, with a lack of consensus on what constitutes 'effective' leadership in nursing, and the design of evaluations of approaches described in existing studies being problematic to generalise across the UK context. • Many studies draw on existing understanding of key leadership skills in developing their leadership learning programmes, but there is no consistent 'core' set of skills, and some programmes conflate leadership and management skills. • Applying leadership skills, values and attitudes in practice is a key practical element to learning. Student leadership of peers has been a well-evaluated approach in the US, with beneficial learning outcomes for both senior student leaders and their junior student peers. • Leadership skills are integral to the nursing role and should similarly be embedded throughout pre-registration nurse education, rather than confined to a single dedicated programme of study. • Student exposure to skilled, positive leadership role-modelling significantly enhances the learning experience, although providing access to leaders is problematic at organisational level, particularly in the context of a changing UK workforce. • Reflective learning is recognised as both a leadership attribute and a valuable learning technique that reinforces the blending of theoretical and applied learning. • There are synergies with the development of emotional intelligence and leadership skills, although more understanding is needed of their relationship and how this might translate into learning programmes.