Background: Preceptors are integral to the transition process of student nurses to licensed nurses. Preceptors are leaders who could utilize authentic leadership to help foster self-awareness and positive relationships and build capacity with student nurses.

Purpose: Investigating the relationship between perceived preceptor authentic leadership and final year nursing students' self-efficacy, job satisfaction and performance.

Methods: This correlational study used data collected from 94 pre-licensure final semester baccalaureate and licensed practical nursing students from three different schools about preceptors' authentic leadership, self-efficacy, job satisfaction and performance. Mediated multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association between perceived preceptors' authentic leadership, self-efficacy, job satisfaction and performance.

Results: Preceptors were perceived to demonstrate authentic leadership (M = 3.21, SD = 0.68). Students' self-efficacy increased post preceptorship (t(93) = 3.96, p < .001), and authentic leadership was associated with self-efficacy (r = 0.46, p < .001) and job satisfaction (r = 0.49, p < .001). Self-efficacy mediated the relationship between job performance and authentic leadership.

Conclusions: Authentic leadership has positive implications for preceptorship and nursing students' self-efficacy, job satisfaction and performance, which could enhance nurse retention.