Objective To explore the efficient method of managing team leaders in clinical nursing practice. Methods By cluster sampling, we utilized competition recruitment method to select 32 team leaders out of the 340 interns in July 2013 as observation team;by designated method, we chose 27 team leaders out of the 333 interns in July 2012 as comparison team. Then we compared both teams′ degree of satisfaction from teachers and interns and comprehensive evaluation on the quality of clinical practice. Results In terms of the practice team leaders′ role modeling contribution from teachers, duty fulfillment, communication and coordination ability, team cohesion, the overall degree of satisfaction from the teachers for the observation team were 92. 7%, 93. 8%, 86. 5%, 90. 6%, 92. 7%, which were apparently higher than those of the comparison team (χ2 =19. 238,5. 256,17. 079,17. 904,34. 122;P<0. 05). In terms of the practice team leaders′ role modeling contribution form interns, duty fulfillment, concerns for team members′study and life, problem solving skill, the overall degree of satisfaction from the interns of the observation team (91. 0%, 98. 2%, 87. 0%, 81. 6%, 94. 3%)was apparently higher than the comparison team as well (χ2 =81. 993, 170. 152, 100. 410, 104. 635, 130. 974;P<0. 05). With regard to the comprehensive evaluation on the quality of clinical practice, the observation team was better than the comparison team (P < 0. 05). Conclusions The competition recruitment of team leader in the clinical nursing practice can make full use of outstanding student resources, and it has an upside for cultivating the interns′competition consciousness and mobilizing their learning initiative. It has also improved the comprehensive quality of clinical practice.