Hospital nurse leaders’ positionings in a novel final-year in nurse education

Background: Nursing shortage and a growing patient population place a critical responsibility on nurse leaders to recruit nurses and promote innovation and professional development, making them vital in enhancing clinical education quality in hospitals. However, knowledge regarding their engagement and positionings in this area remains limited. Aim: This study investigated the positioning of hospital nurse leaders in clinical education, exploring their engagement strategies to addressing recruitment and retainment challenges. Method: Participant observation was conducted across seven bachelor conferences, followed by focus group interviews with 12 nurse leaders. Findings: Three themes regarding the nurse leaders’ positionings emerged: Blurred responsibility for clinical education, Recruiter, and Guarantor of professional quality. Conclusion: This study highlights the complex roles of nurse leaders in clinical education. While they acknowledge their responsibilities, their engagement varies with shifting positioning strategies. As recruiters and guarantors of quality, nurse leaders strive to improve nursing education and foster supportive learning environments.