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Friday, April 12, 2013
Learning Objective 1: Apply the knowledge gained through analysis and synthesis of literature and survey data on student governance and leadership to develop a nursing student council
Learning Objective 2: To successfully apply nursing leadership theory and skills, research knowledge, and core competencies of the Clinical Nurse Leader in developing a student governance model
Nurse leadership is taught, but not evident in the structure of student governance at the University of Toledo. All professional educational programs at the University of Toledo have Student Councils in place, except for the College of Nursing. Review of the literature revealed scholarly articles on governance models and governance, but no research was found on the development of student councils in colleges of nursing. Student governance is important in the development of nurse leaders and providing the students a voice in their college or school of nursing. Students in colleges or schools of nursing are in need of a place to bring their concerns and ideas as well as a place for professional and leadership development. This study will utilize a scholarly review of the literature, survey data, and will apply the CNL core competencies (critical thinking, communication, assessment, nursing technology and resource management, ethics, human diversity, health care systems and policy, member of a profession, and designer/manager/coordinator) to develop a nursing student council. This is a mixed-method design using a survey instrument specific to student governance within regional colleges of nursing. A website review of all public universities in Ohio and Michigan will be completed to determine which schools meet the inclusion criteria: at least a four year nursing program in a college or school of nursing. This study is currently in progress with IRB approval received on September 18, 2012. Data collection began in October 2012. Nursing leadership training is a major component in developing confident nurses and the absence of a student governance model in a college of nursing is antithetical to a positive education experience. Utilizing leadership knowledge and skills to innovate college governance to include a nursing student council facilitates nursing student voice into the governance and decision-making model in a college of nursing.