home work F mm

The Association of Leadership Styles and Nurses’ Well-being

Introduction

Any nurse's leadership styles determine their nursing well-being and substantially impact their lives and health. Leadership is an essential element in the nursing field since it determines the patient outcomes, staff morale, resource allocation, and professional development of nurses (Sarver et al., 2019). Nursing leadership faces challenges that include staff shortages, workplace conflicts, the evolution of healthcare policies and regulations, and balancing administrative tasks and patient care (Wei et al., 2020). These challenges can be minimized by adopting effective leadership that impacts the quality of patient care by improving patient outcomes, creating a positive working environment, adapting to new healthcare trends and policies, and encouraging professional growth. Sabbah et al. (2020) describe nursing leadership as the potential of nurses to guide and direct healthcare professionals to ensure they deliver patient-centered quality services. The nurse's role is to ensure patients receive safe and effective services. Nursing leadership is characterized by communicating effectively, thinking critically, solving problems, and having interpersonal skills (Kelly & Hearld, 2020). Patient care is a critical sector that requires nurse leaders to be well-informed with the latest healthcare trends and policy information to ensure patients are cared for.

Nursing leadership is classified into different categories that determine how nurses interact with patients and how they make their decisions. The nursing leadership styles are classified into transformational, laissez-faire, and transactional (Alilyyani et al., 2022; Alsaqqa, 2023). Transformational leadership is a key in inspiring and motivating nurses to deliver quality patient services. This leadership trait challenges nurses to be creative thinkers who support new ideas and approaches that improve patient care (Gashaye et al., 2023). Transformational nurse leaders give development opportunities to their staff to ensure they pursue their academic excellence, which translates to improved patient outcomes. Transformational leadership builds a working team characterized by teamwork, collaboration, and open communication (Qtait, 2023; Burmeister et al., 2020). This results in an improved patient outcome characterized by high standards of care and evidence-based medical results.

Laissez-faire is a leadership style whereby leaders allow team members to work and make decisions independently without interference or guidance. This brings autonomy and creativity since team members are allowed to interact to have open discussions regarding issues related to nursing care (Specchia et al., 2021; Arikan, 2020). Employees feel motivated and engaged in their roles since they can discuss issues that affect them (Alzahrani, 2019). This leadership style works best where team members are experienced and knowledgeable and require minimal direction while performing their duties.

Transactional nursing leadership requires employers to establish clear expectations from employees and rewards the employees with the highest outcomes. This leadership helps nurses maintain good conduct that enables them to meet the requirement of health standards, which improves the standards of care (Passakonjaras & Hartijasti, 2020). The role of transactional leadership in nursing constituents of monitoring performance, whereby nurses' staff performance is evaluated using performance metrics, and feedback is provided (Richards, 2020). Transactional leaders reward their staff members with recognition by offering promotions, rewards, and other incentives that can persuade and motivate them, (Sabbah et al., 2020). This challenges employees to work better to achieve the expected standards that facilitate effective patient care.

Research Hypothesis

The hypothesis for the research proposal states that;

Null hypothesis (H0): There is no association between leadership styles and nurses’ well-being

Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): There is an association between leadership styles and nurses’ well-being.

A statistical analysis will be used to test the hypothesis and determine if the null hypothesis will be rejected or fail to reject. From the statistical analysis, the null hypothesis will be rejected if the p-value is less than 5%. The conclusion will state an association between leadership styles and nurses' well-being.

Research Objectives

The research objectives describe what the project intends to accomplish and provide a guideline on how the research will accomplish its aim.

General Objective

The general objective describes the purpose the research intends to address. The overall goal guides the hypothesis and research in the study. The general objective of the research is to investigate the relationship between different leadership styles and nurses' well-being.

Specific Objectives

Specific instructions are measurable goals that define the aim of the research by providing a guideline and intended purpose.

Specific objectives include:

1. To access the leadership styles of nurse leaders as recognize nurse employees

1. To investigate the level or degree leadership traits correlate with certain leadership behavior outcomes

1. To investigate the relationship between leadership styles and quality of life nurses at work.

Literature Review

Leadership is a multifaceted process that involves setting objectives, motivating others to take action, and encouraging others to reach shared goals. Workers, administrators, and achieving organizational objectives are all closely related to leadership. Leadership style refers to how a leader sets direction, inspires followers, and carries out plans. When managing the staff nurses in healthcare facilities, nurse leaders employ a variety of leadership styles. According to Gashaye et al. (2023), these styles include autocratic, democratic, bureaucratic, situational, charismatic, visionary, coaching, laissez-faire, transactional, and transformational. A practical nursing leadership style can lessen nurses' challenges, like workplace conflicts, staff shortages, and balancing administrative responsibilities and patient care. This literature review determines how leadership philosophies and nursing staff satisfaction relate.

Numerous studies have examined the effect of various leadership philosophies on nursing staff satisfaction. The three leadership philosophies frequently connected to nursing are transformational, laissez-faire, and transactional leadership. Transformational leadership has been determined to be the most successful for encouraging nursing staff well-being (Sabbah et al., 2020). According to Gashaye et al. (2023), transformational leaders motivate and inspire nurses to deliver excellent patient care. They promote innovative ideas, support creative thinking, and provide staff development possibilities that improve patient results. With the help of open communication, collaboration, and cooperation, transformational leadership develops exceptional levels of care and fact-based medical outcomes.

Different management philosophies, such as transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership, were identified by Ferreira et al. in 2022. They discovered that transformational leadership positively impacted institutional, professional, and patient outcomes. This approach was linked to better staff morale, patient satisfaction, and lower turnover rates. Additionally, transformational leaders were more likely to support employee growth and foster a supportive workplace culture, directly impacting patient care. Contrarily, the study discovered that laissez-faire leadership had a detrimental effect on organizational, professional, and patient results. This type of leadership was linked to low employee motivation, poor job fulfillment, and higher rates of burnout. Laissez-faire leaders, according to Ferreira et al. (2022), were frequently absent or passive, which resulted in inadequate communication and inefficient decision-making.

Laissez-faire leadership is a management approach in which the team leader leaves the group members to function and make decisions independently without interference or guidance. According to Alzahrani 2019, this leadership style encourages independence and ingenuity, especially when teammates are knowledgeable and competent and require little guidance to complete their duties. However, nurses who work for laissez-faire leaders may experience anxiety, exhaustion, and a lack of job satisfaction due to this type of management. According to Almarwany et al. (2021) research, poor leadership is associated with nurses' well-being. The study also discovered a link between lax leadership, patient satisfaction, and the standard of care provided.

Setting clear expectations for employees and rewarding them for meeting them are both components of transactional leadership. This method of leadership helps nurses adhere to ethical principles that enable them to follow health regulations and raise the standard of care. According to Richards (2020), transactional leadership entails using performance indicators to evaluate and give feedback on the performance of the nursing staff. One way transactional leaders show their appreciation for their team is by providing incentive programs, bonuses, and other enticing rewards that push staff to perform better to meet the expectations that enable efficient patient care. Palenius (2022) shows that transactional leadership and nurses' well-being are positively correlated. Nurses who worked for transactional leaders reported better motivation, job satisfaction, and physical health. The research also discovered a connection between improved patient satisfaction, excellent healthcare, and transactional leadership.

As a result, the health of the nursing staff is significantly impacted by nursing leadership styles. The well-being of nurses is positively correlated with transformational and transactional leadership, whereas the well-being of nurses is negatively correlated with laissez-faire leadership. Therefore, ensuring the provision of high-quality healthcare depends on effective nursing leadership that supports staff well-being. A supportive workplace culture and adequate staffing are also necessary for a healthy workplace for nurses.

Material and Methods/Methodology:

The materials used in the research will include a multifactor leadership questionnaire that will measure leadership styles and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) to measure nurses' well-being. The methodology that will be used includes the Spearman correlation to determine the correlation between the leadership styles and outcomes of nurses’ well-being. Descriptive statistics like the mean, median, and standard deviation will be determined to describe the research sample. SPSS 22.0 package will be used to analyze the data.

Study Design:

The study design outlines how the research will be conducted to ensure the objectives have been accomplished. The study design will involve using the correct method, tools, sample method, sample size, method of data collection, and analysis process to ensure the research goal is accomplished (Bloomfield & Fisher, 2019; Sieyès, 2019). Data will be collected by using a survey questionnaire. Statistical analysis used in the study includes t-tests, regression analysis, and ANOVA test.

Study Area-Setting:

The research will be conducted in Hafar AI-Batin city, whereby all hospitals in Hafar-Albatin will be used. The nurse leaders from all Hospital will be used in the study, and the setting area of the study with be Hafar AI-Batin City in the Eastern part of Saudi Arabia. The research uses the size of the organization and the number of nurses employed. The researcher must obtain informed consent and ethical clearance from appropriate authorities from all hospitals in Hafar Al-batin city nurse leaders and their leaders.

Study Population:

The study population consists of individuals that will use to collect data from during the research process. The study population that will be used includes nurse leaders and their nurses. Nurse leaders are empowered to lead and manage nurses within the health care system. Nurses are professionals who are registered and employed to work in certain healthcare organizations like Hafar Al-batin hospitals.

Sample Size and Sampling Technique:

The sample size study will involve a sample size of 200 nurse leaders and nurses. The sample size of 200 will enable the researcher to get valid results for the research study. The sampling technique that will be used includes convenience and purposive sampling. Convenience will be used to select nurses and their leaders from Hafar Al-Batin Hospitals willing to participate in the survey. The sample that will be used will ensure there is no bias, and the participants will take part in the study willingly.

Data Collection Technique

The collection technique that will be used for the research includes a questionnaire, whereby a structured questionnaire will be used to collect data from nurses and their leaders. A Focus group will enable the researcher to obtain more details regarding leadership and nurses' well-being (Taherdoost, 2021).

Data Collection Tools

The data collection tools that will be used include a questionnaire with closed-ended questions. The multifactor leadership questionnaire will be used to scale the questionnaire. The focus group discussion guide will be used, including open-ended questions that will explore participants' perceptions (Li et al., 2019; Lee & Kim, 2021).

Main Variables and Measures

The main variables and measures will be classified into five measures

1. Demographic variables

The demographic variables will contain age, race, gender, and professional experience.

1. Perceived leadership styles, factors, and outcomes variables

These will include transformational, transactional, and Laissez-faire leadership variable

1. Quality of life of participants under study

Two measurement variables will measure the quality of life

1. Scale for measuring health-related disability that will include physical functioning, physical role, body pain, and emotional role

1. Scales for measuring nursing well-being, which will include general health, vitality, social functioning, and mental health

1. Perceived leadership style related to characteristics of nurses

1. Perceived leadership style related to outcomes and quality of life of nurses.

Data Management and Processing

The data management and processing will involve organizing, cleaning, storing, and analyzing data. Raw data is converted to meaningful information, which will help the researcher conclude and make relevant decisions and recommendations (Behera et al., 2019). It will involve data entry and cleaning, data coding and analyzing, and data interpretation and reporting (Corti et al., 2019). After this procedure, the researcher will make valid conclusions, decisions, and recommendations.

References

Alilyyani, B., Kerr, M. S., Wong, C., & Wazqar, D. Y. (2022). An integrative review of nursing leadership in Saudi Arabia. Nursing Open, 9(1), 140–155. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1117

Almarwany, K. H., Alzhrani, F. M., Althubyani, H. H. H., Alharthi, R. D. S., Alzahrani, A. M., Alhilali, I. S., ... & Sulaimani, S. M. A. A. A study of Relationship between Leadership Styles and Job Security among Nurses Working in Makkah health cluster in Saudi Arabia 2021. https://ejmcm.com/article_19612_b20e1e7e821caa7fa2bef311386e2673.pdf

Alsaqqa, H. (2023). Assessment of leadership styles at hospitals in Gaza strip of Palestine. Contaduría y Administración, 68(3), 395. http://cya.unam.mx/index.php/cya/article/viewFile/3049/1987

Alzahrani, S. (2019). Transformational leadership style on nursing job satisfaction amongst nurses in hospital settings: Findings from systematic review. Global Journal of Health Science, 11(6), 1-25. https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/gjhsjl/v11y2019i6p25.html

Arikan, C. L. (2020). An overview of leadership styles for organizations. Romanian Economic and Business Review, 15(3), 45-54. https://rebe.rau.ro/REBE-FA20.pdf#page=45

Behera, R. K., Bala, P. K., & Dhir, A. (2019). The emerging role of cognitive computing in healthcare: A systematic literature review. International journal of medical informatics, 129, 154-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.04.024

Bloomfield, J., & Fisher, M. J. (2019). Quantitative research design. Journal of the Australasian Rehabilitation Nurses Association, 22(2), 27–30. https://search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.738299924514584

Burmeister, A., Li, Y., Wang, M., Shi, J., & Jin, Y. (2020). Team knowledge exchange: How and when does transformational leadership have an effect? Journal of Organizational Behavior, 41(1), 17-31. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2411

Corti, L., Van den Eynden, V., Bishop, L., & Woollard, M. (2019). Managing and sharing research data: A guide to good practice. Sage.

Ferreira, T. D., Mesquita, G. R., Melo, G. C., Oliveira, M. S., Bucci, A. F., Porcari, T. A., Teles, M. G., Altafini, J., Dias, F. C., & Gasparino, R. C. (2022). The influence of nursing leadership styles on the outcomes of patients, professionals, and institutions: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(4), 936–953. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13592

Gashaye, M., Tilahun, D., Belay, A., & Bereka, B. (2023). Perceived utilization of leadership styles among nurses. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 215-224. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S388966

Lee, S., & Kim, J. (2021). Rapport quality in investigative interviews: Effects on open-ended questions and free recall responses. Police Practice and Research, 22(1), 996-1008. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2020.1786691

Li, T., Higgins, P.T., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M. & Welch, A.V. (Eds.). (2019). The Cochrane Handbook for systematic review of interventions: Collecting data. The Cochrane Collaboration

Kelly, R. J., & Hearld, L. R. (2020). Burnout and leadership style in behavioral health care: A literature review. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 47(4), 581–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-019-09679-z

Taherdoost, H. (2021). Data collection methods and tools for research; a step-by-step guide to choose data collection technique for academic and business research projects. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 10(1), 10-38. https://hal.science/hal-03741847/document

Sabbah, I. M., Ibrahim, T. T., Khamis, R. H., Bakhour, H. A. M., Sabbah, S. M., Droubi, N. S., & Sabbah, H. M. (2020). The association of leadership styles and nurses' well-being: A cross-sectional study in healthcare settings. Pan African Medical Journal, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.11604%2Fpamj.2020.36.328.19720

Sarver, W., Kohler, L., & Seabold, K. (2019). Leadership development through the patient care coordinator role. Nursing Management, 50(4), 50-53. https://journals.lww.com/nursingmanagement/fulltext/2019/04000/leadership_development_through_the_patient_care.11.aspx

Sileyew, K. J. (2019). Research design and methodology (pp. 1-12). Rijeka: IntechOpen.

Specchia, M. L., Cozzolino, M. R., Carini, E., Di Pilla, A., Galletti, C., Ricciardi, W., & Damiani, G. (2021). Leadership styles and nurses’ job satisfaction. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1552. file:///C:/Users/admin/Downloads/ijerph-18-01552.pdf

Palenius, S. (2022). Relationship to the leadership of nurses and their well-being at work – a systematic literature review. Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/744805/Palenius_Sofia.pdf?sequence=2

Passakonjaras, S., & Hartijasti, Y. (2020). Transactional and transformational leadership: A study of Indonesian managers. Management Research Review, 43(6), 645-667. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-07-2019-0318

Qtait, M. (2023). Head nurses' leadership styles and nurses' performance systematic review. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 100564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2023.100564

Richards, A. (2020). Exploring the benefits and limitations of transactional leadership in healthcare. Nursing Standard, 35(12), 46–50. DOI: 10.7748/ns.2020.e11593

Wei, H., King, A., Jiang, Y., Sewell, K. A., & Lake, D. M. (2020). The impact of nurse leadership styles on nurse burnout: A systematic literature review. Nurse Leader, 18(5), 439–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.04.002