Administration, management, and leadership theoretical approaches in undergraduate nurse education: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: In the last few decades, strategic leadership has been identified as a global goal; however, nursing education does not always provide the content required for administration and management to prepare nurses for future leadership challenges. Objective: To explore concepts, theories, and learning programs in administration, management, and leadership in undergraduate nursing education. Methods: The review was conducted in April 2022, following the JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines in MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo databases via EBSCO, and Scopus through Elsevier. Gray literature and unpublished studies were also included through the RCAAP, Canadian Science Publishing, and Google Scholar. Articles in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, published and unpublished from 2012 to 2022, were included. Results: Thirty-one articles met the eligibility criteria for the review. An insightful picture of the key concepts and pedagogical strategies for learning leadership skills was found, as well as one learning program in undergraduate nursing education. Conclusion: The need to introduce all the concepts found supported by adapted and logical theories at the undergraduate level was confirmed. The Clinical Nurse Leadership program seems appropriate and can be a model of implementation, but more investigation is needed to produce an evidence-based clinical nursing leadership curriculum.

Keywords

• administration; leadership; learning; management; nurse education; teaching