Clinical leadership project.

Nurse educators seek innovative strategies to maximize student learning in the classroom and clinical settings. Students enrolled in a nursing leadership and management course often find they spend more clinical time observing leaders than practicing the necessary skills to lead others in the provision of nursing care. In addition, opportunities to explore the nurse educator role often do not exist in baccalaureate nursing education, despite the shortage of nurse educators. An experience was developed in a baccalaureate nursing program to give senior students, under supervision of faculty, the opportunity to lead and evaluate lower-level students providing patient care in the clinical setting and to experience the role of nursing faculty. Feedback from senior students was positive, and students noted increased proficiency in leadership ability and critical thinking. Student interest in the nurse educator role was also enhanced. Program expansion and evaluation with faculty, clinical staff, and patients are planned.