Low Ropes Course Nursing Leadership Session for Baccalaureate Nursing Students

BACKGROUND: Advancing nursing leadership education is essential for cultivating future leaders who can positively affect outcomes for health care providers and patients. However, limited literature explores experiential learning experiences within adventure therapy interventions, such as a low ropes course (e.g., an outdoor challenge constructed close to the ground), to promote the learning of leadership skills. This article explores baccalaureate nursing students' learning during a leadership training session on a low ropes course. METHOD: Nursing students engaged in four elements of the low ropes course to work on leadership skills, such as applying leadership styles, trust building, and professional accountability. RESULTS: Students who engaged in this teaching strategy on a low ropes course as an adventure therapy intervention reported enhanced learning of leadership skills. CONCLUSION: Nursing students could benefit from using adventure therapy interventions, such as a low ropes course, to learn and practice leadership skills for future implications in practice.