Lighting the path: Postgraduate education for tomorrow’s nurse leaders

Postgraduate education plays a crucial role in preparing nurses for dedicated leadership roles by equipping them with advanced knowledge and skills (Marcellus et al., 2018). The literature identifies a range of areas critical to transforming practice through skilful application of advanced knowledge, relevant evidence and leadership skills. Some of these key capabilities include critical thinking skills, problem solving and decision-making skills, interpersonal competencies, management capabilities, clinical leadership and research knowledge and application (Guibert-Lacasa & Vazquez-Calatayud, 2022; Page et al, 2021). In this presentation, I will introduce the audience to the uniqueness of the postgraduate education that falls under my remit as a lecturer at James Cook University. This 100% intensive online course invites students to engage with contemporary content while regularly connecting virtually with peers and staff to share their unique experiences leading and managing in Australian healthcare settings. As educators at JCU, we utilise different platforms to connect with students of all academic levels, including online virtual discussions, lecture presentations, video recordings and online discussion forums. We believe connections with industry are fundamental in developing leadership awareness and knowledge. Hence, we collaborate regularly with industry hosting online masterclasses to share unique insights and real-life examples of effective healthcare leadership in practice. At JCU, we light the path for our Master of Nursing (Leadership) students to thrive in leadership roles through promoting the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to drive change in health settings. As the demand for healthcare continues to increase, nurses today will play pivotal roles in transforming the healthcare system of tomorrow. Through a dynamic and authentic educational experience, JCU’s postgraduate nurse leaders are well placed to drive transformational change in their workplaces.

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AQNML 2025: Association of Queensland Nursing & Midwifery Leaders Conference 2025

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