Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Melissa Bouws, Nursing; Dr. Stephanie Johnson, Nursing

Document Type

Poster

Event Date

4-17-2026

Abstract

Leadership is necessary in the nursing profession and can be cultivated within undergraduate nursing programs. Servant leadership shows great promise as an appropriate leadership model for nurses. The purpose of this study was to complete a concept analysis of servant leadership (SL) and apply it in cases of undergraduate nursing students. The theoretical framework was Greenleaf’s Servant Leadership Model. This study was completed using Walker and Avant’s model of concept analysis, which clarifies the defining attributes, defining characteristics, antecedents, and consequences of a concept. A literature review was performed using CINAHL Plus (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) and Hope Primo. Nine relevant journal articles were identified. Next, researchers examined publicly available internet sources. Content included 14 Instagram posts, three nursing articles, one student nurse magazine article, four Hope College Athletics blogs, and the Hope College Center for Leadership website. Major themes from each source were identified and categorized. Defining attributes of SL that permeated many sources were as follows: fostering growth in others, a desire to “serve first,” collaboration, listening, empathy, and caring. Results suggest that undergraduate nursing students possess various opportunities to develop SL skills. Limitations of the study include the use of internet sources, subjectivity of researchers and internet algorithms, and small number of sources. Additionally, attributes were not tested in a real-world context. New-graduate nurses who are servant leaders may be well-prepared to take on leadership roles in the workplace. Faculty can consider capitalizing on pre-existing academic and extracurricular opportunities to cultivate SL in students. Future research may explore the long-term career trajectories of undergraduate nursing students who demonstrate high levels of SL.

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