Creating Nurse Leaders through a Senior Leadership/Management Immersive Learning Capstone Experience

The transition from student to professional practice can be difficult for new registered nurses since nurse managers have high expectations for performance (Thomas, Bertram & Allen, 2012, Thomas, Ryan, Hodson-Carlton, 2011). In addition to the didactic requirements, the clinical experiences are developed to gradually prepare students for professional practice.  Traditionally, nursing students are closely monitored during their clinical experiences by a registered nurse faculty.  The main purpose for the clinical experience is to enhance the relevance of theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom. In addition, the development of the Quality, Safety, Education for Nurses (QSEN) essential core competencies of patient centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidenced based practice, safety, quality improvement, and informatics are critical to the development of every new nurse in professional practice (Dolansky & Moore, 2013; Joint commission, 2013).

Generally, nursing students are focused on applying technical skills learned in a laboratory or simulation setting and acquiring new skills under the supervision of the course faculty.  The immersive learning capstone experience is different because the course faculty is not usually present, but rather the student is paired with a registered nurse preceptor to meet course objectives and personal goals. The faculty at a midwestern university sought to have students meet the QSEN core competencies and to develop leadership attributes.  Once students are assigned a registered nurse preceptor, the students become responsible to make contact with the preceptor, obtain the work schedule, and complete and submit all required clinical paperwork prior to starting the capstone experience.  Students develop two long-term goals and six short-term goals to be completed during the capstone experience focusing on skills and leadership qualities. Throughout the capstone experience students must demonstrate leadership skills through professional behavior, communication, role–modeling, delegation and supervision, and team work.  Additionally, the students are required to complete an immersive learning project. The quality improvement evidenced-based project is identified by the student along with preceptor (and clinical managers) as a process in need of improvement. The entire project is student driven.  A component of the immersive learning project is that the students, in groups of two or more, must produce a product for the nurses such as a brochure, power point presentation, and/or fact sheets.  Students complete the immersive learning capstone experience with not only greater skill accusation, but also having developed and demonstrated leadership qualities.