Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review

Greta G Cummings; Kaitlyn Tate; Sarah Lee; Carol A Wong; Tanya Paananen; Simone P M Micaroni; Gargi E Chatterjee

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.016

Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review

Int J Nurs Stud. 2018 Sep:85:19-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.016. Epub 2018 May 3.

Authors

Greta G Cummings¹, Kaitlyn Tate², Sarah Lee², Carol A Wong³, Tanya Paananen², Simone P M Micaroni², Gargi E Chatterjee²

Affiliations

¹ Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, University of Alberta, 11405 87 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada. Electronic address: gretac@ualberta.ca.
² Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, University of Alberta, 11405 87 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
³ Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, University of Western Ontario, Room 3306, FIMS & Nursing Building, London, Ontario, N6A 5B9, Canada.

PMID: 29807190
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.016

Abstract

Background: Leadership is critical in building quality work environments, implementing new models of care, and bringing health and wellbeing to a strained nursing workforce. However, the nature of leadership style, how leadership should be enacted, and its associated outcomes requires further research and understanding. We aimed to examine the relationships between various styles of leadership and outcomes for the nursing workforce and their work environments.

Methods: The search strategy of this systematic review included 10 electronic databases. Published, quantitative studies that examined the correlations between leadership behaviours and nursing outcomes were included. Quality assessments, data extractions and analysis were completed on all included studies by independent reviewers.

Results: A total of 50,941 titles and abstracts were screened resulting in 129 included studies. Using content analysis, 121 outcomes were grouped into six categories: 1) staff satisfaction with job factors, 2) staff relationships with work, 3) staff health & wellbeing, 4) relations among staff, 5) organizational environment factors and 6) productivity & effectiveness. Our analysis illuminated patterns between relational and task focused leadership styles and their outcomes for nurses and nursing work environments. For example, 52 studies reported that relational leadership styles were associated with higher nurse job satisfaction, whereas 16 studies found that task-focused leadership styles were associated with lower nurse job satisfaction. Similar trends were found for each category of outcomes.

Conclusions: The findings of this systematic review provide strong support for the employment of relational leadership styles to promote positive nursing workforce outcomes and related organizational outcomes. Leadership focused solely on task completion is insufficient to achieve optimum outcomes for the nursing workforce. Relational leadership practices need to be encouraged and supported by individuals and organizations to enhance nursing job satisfaction, retention, work environment factors and individual productivity within healthcare settings.

Keywords: Leadership; Nursing workforce; Review; Systematic; Work environment.

Publication types

Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Leadership*
Nursing Staff*
Workplace*