Registered nurse empowerment and intent to leave current position and/or profession

Aim  This study explored the relationship between Registered Nurses' (RN) empowerment and intent to leave their current position and/or profession.
Background  While there is documentation of the relationship between job satisfaction and retention, little is known about the relationship between empowerment and intent to leave either the current position and/or profession.
Methods  A web-based survey was conducted in which 1355 respondents completed measures of personal demographics, empowerment, intent to leave their current position and the profession.
Results  Relationships were found between empowerment and intent to leave the current position ( F  = 80.08, P  < 0.001) and intent to leave the profession ( F  = 75.99, P  < 0.001).
Implications for nursing management  The results of this study contribute to the limited body of knowledge in this area. It is suggested that nursing leaders utilize empowerment and intent to leave the position and/or profession as new concepts to measure future retention within the nursing workforce.
Conclusion  Retention strategies need to focus on strategies for nurse empowerment.     

Leadership practices and staff nurses' intent to stay: a systematic review

cowden t., cummings g. & profetto-mcgrath j (2011) Journal of Nursing Management 19 , 461–477
Leadership practices and staff nurses’ intent to stay: a systematic review Aim The aim of the present study was to describe the findings of a systematic review of the literature that examined the relationship between managers’ leadership practices and staff nurses’ intent to stay in their current position. Background The nursing shortage demands that managers focus on the retention of staff nurses. Understanding the relationship between leadership practices and nurses’ intent to stay is fundamental to retaining nurses in the workforce. Methods Published English language articles on leadership practices and staff nurses’ intent to stay were retrieved from computerized databases and a manual search. Data extraction and quality assessments were completed for the final 23 research articles. Results Relational leadership practices influence staff nurses’ intentions to remain in their current position. Conclusion This study supports a positive relationship between transformational leadership, supportive work environments and staff nurses’ intentions to remain in their current positions. Incorporating relational leadership theory into management practices will influence nurse retention. Advancing current conceptual models will increase knowledge of intent to stay. Clarifying the distinction between the concepts intent to stay and intent to leave is needed to establish a clear theoretical foundation for further intent to stay research. Implications for Nurse Managers Nurse managers and leaders who practice relational leadership and ensure quality workplace environments are more likely to retain their staff. The findings of the present study support the claim that leadership practices influence staff nurse retention and builds on intent to stay knowledge.     

Developing and testing a new measure of staff nurse clinical leadership: the clinical leadership survey

Patrick A., Laschinger H.K.S., Wong C. & Finegan J. (2011) Journal of Nursing Management 19 , 449–460
Developing and testing a new measure of staff nurse clinical leadership: the clinical leadership survey Aim To test the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of staff nurse clinical leadership derived from Kouzes and Posner’s model of transformational leadership. Background While nurses have been recognized for their essential role in keeping patients safe, there has been little empirical research that has examined clinical leadership at the staff nurse level. Methods A non-experimental survey design was used to test the psychometric properties of the clinical leadership survey (CLS). Four hundred and eighty registered nurses (RNs) providing direct patient care in Ontario acute care hospitals returned useable questionnaires. Results Confirmatory factor analysis provided preliminary evidence for the construct validity for the new measure of staff nurse clinical leadership. Structural empowerment fully mediated the relationship between nursing leadership and staff nurse clinical leadership. Conclusion The results provide encouraging evidence for the construct validity of the CLS. Implications for nursing management Nursing administrators must create empowering work environments to ensure staff nurses have access to work structures which enable them to enact clinical leadership behaviours while providing direct patient care.     

The effect of structural empowerment and perceived organizational support on middle level nurse managers' role satisfaction

BACKGROUND: The restructuring of Canadian health care organizations during the past decade has reduced the visibility of nursing leadership. This has resulted in job conditions that have disempowered nurse managers and influenced their ability to create positive work environments, mentor potential nurse leaders, and gain satisfaction in the leadership role. These conditions threaten the retention of a cadre of high quality nurse leaders in today's chaotic health care setting. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between structural empowerment and perceived organizational support and the effect of these factors on the role satisfaction of middle level nurse managers. METHOD: A secondary analysis was conducted as part of a larger study of 126 middle level nurse managers working in Canadian acute care hospitals, randomly selected from the Ontario provincial registry. Eighty-four nurse managers responded to a questionnaire mailed to their home addresses. RESULTS: Structural empowerment was positively associated with middle level nurse managers' perceived organizational support. The combination of empowerment and perceptions of organizational support were significant predictors of middle level nurse managers' role satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support R.M. Kanter's (1977, 1993; Men and Women of the Corporation. Basic Books, New York) contention that empowering work conditions have an impact on employees' feelings of support and sense of accomplishment at work. Positive perceptions of organizational support may play an important role in retaining current middle managers, and possibly attracting future leaders to management positions.     

The making of a nurse manager: the role of experiential learning in leadership development

cathcart e . b ., greenspan m . & quin m . (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18, 440–447
The making of a nurse manager: the role of experiential learning in leadership development Aim To articulate the experientially acquired knowledge, skill and ethics embedded in nurse manager practice and describe the ways in which they were developed. Background The role of the nurse manager is usually described in lists of competencies, talents and traits which fail to capture the experience-based judgment and practical knowledge in this pivotal organizational role. Method Using Benner’s methodology of practice articulation, 32 nurse managers wrote and interpreted first person narratives of their practice. The experience level of the group ranged from new nurse managers to those with more than 10 years’ role tenure. The seminars were facilitated by a seasoned nurse executive and nurse manager with expertise in narrative interpretation. Results Interpretation of the paradigm case of one nurse manager suggests that complex leadership challenges can be a source of significant experiential learning for the individual and for the group. Conclusions Articulating and reflecting on experiential learning elucidates the skilled knowledge and judgment embedded in nurse manager practice which cannot be accessed in any other way. Implications for nursing management Articulating the practical knowledge which is necessary for effective nurse manager practice can hasten the development of role incumbents.     

护理管理者领导力对护士工作投入影响的研究

[目的]了解目前管理者领导力与护理人员工作投入的现状,并分析二者相关性。[方法]采取调查问卷方式,调查3所三级医院185名护理人员。[结果]管理者领导力整体处于中等偏下的水平,护士工作投入整体处于中等偏上的水平,一般资料中影响护士工作投入的因素有职务和工作目的,管理者领导力和护士工作投入呈正相关。[结论]护理管理者应加强基层护理管理者领导力的培养,以提高护士的工作积极性,加强其对工作的投入度,从而促进护理事业的发展。     

护理管理者领导力对护士工作投入影响的研究

[目的]了解目前管理者领导力与护理人员工作投入的现状,并分析二者相关性。[方法]采取调查问卷方式,调查3所三级医院185名护理人员。[结果]管理者领导力整体处于中等偏下的水平,护士工作投入整体处于中等偏上的水平,一般资料中影响护士工作投入的因素有职务和工作目的,管理者领导力和护士工作投入呈正相关。[结论]护理管理者应加强基层护理管理者领导力的培养,以提高护士的工作积极性,加强其对工作的投入度,从而促进护理事业的发展。