Building Leadership Skills in Nursing Students Through Technological Pedagogical Learning

As nursing students enter that final semester of education they often express a sense of gloom and fear in leaving the comfort zone of learning; yet the time to graduate is upon them where they will soon assume an independent role void of the safety net provided by their institution of higher learning. These students often report feeling inadequate with a lack of confidence to fulfil the expectations which come with the inherent responsibilities of professional nursing.  With the understanding that teaching is a complex, often poorly structured domain, a project our nursing program implemented afforded the nursing students on all levels an opportunity to teach, learn and implement the use of pedagogical technology.  

            This program emerged on the foundation of experiential learning (Kolb and Fry, 1975) offered the students training in the operation of human patient simulators and in the implementation (running) of a scenario using the human patient simulators. Once faculty completed their semester learning tools associated with use of human patient simulators, the students in this program were given an opportunity to elect one or several of the scenarios with which they would study. This study encompassed a commitment to enhance the design of the scenario along with manage the human patient simulator associated with that scenario. In assuming this role, the student was exposed to the pathology surrounding the problems/nursing diagnoses evolving from the scenario, the care planning, implementation of care and evaluation of care (debriefing) (CMS, 2015).

            The National League for Nursing (NLN) is firmly seated in faculty use of evolving technology to advance the health of the nation. Our students, as the future nurses in our nation will track patient progress cueing the licensed provider of patient readiness for the next level of care or discharge from the health care facility (NLN, 2015).

Nursing is a ‘hands on’ profession ; this program provided an independent learning space where the students were assisted in their understanding of teaching,  understanding of learning and a subsequent understanding of teaching and learning with the use of simulation technology.  Once the students immersed themselves in writing simple programs to teach basic nursing skills e.g. assessment, SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) they felt more confident to utilize these skills in the delivery of nursing care to their patients.  The students self-reported this confidence afforded them more ease in leading their health care teams during their last semester of clinicals. A comprehensive and diverse knowledge base teamed with experience can provide a foundation of strong leadership skills.