BACKGROUND: To prepare nurses for increasingly complex and challenging roles, nursing education must include a focus on developing an intrapreneurial mind-set that students take with them to future employment and leadership positions. METHOD: Intrapreneurs take on responsibility for innovating within their organization. The combination of skills and energies encompassing leadership, cognitive flexibility, and a future orientation can facilitate the success of nurses in health care organizations, academic institutions, and diverse employment settings. Case studies provide examples regarding how to best integrate the concepts of intrapreneurship into nursing education. RESULTS: Nurse educators play a vital role in developing, encouraging, and building an intrapreneurial mentality. Faculty who lead by example serving as intrapreneurial role models can help students and colleagues prepare to innovate within today's rapidly changing health care system. CONCLUSION: This article discusses the importance of intrapreneurial skills for nurses and posits a framework for supporting intrapreneurialism in nursing academia.