Aim: This study aimed to investigate whether or not the toxic leadership behaviours of nurse managers influence nurses' perceptions of professional values.
Background: Professional values are among the factors that influence the development and the enhancement of the quality of health services. The professional development of nurses at work is particularly shaped by the guidance and counselling of nurse managers. Therefore, it is vitally important to determine the effects of nurse managers' toxic leadership behaviours on nurses' perception of professional values in terms of the development of professional values and the nursing image.
Method and material: This study was designed as a descriptive and correlational study and was conducted with 244 nurses working in a university hospital between 09.01.2020 and 12.03.2020. The study data were collected using a Personal Information Form (11 questions) designed by the researchers in line with the recent literature, the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised (NPVS-R) and the Toxic Leadership Scale. The study data were analysed with SPSS 25.0, and they were evaluated using frequency, percentage, the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test, one-way ANOVA, the t-test for independent groups, the Cronbach alpha coefficient and Spearman correlation coefficient methods. The significance level was taken as p < 0.001, and p < 0.05 was used to interpret the study results.
Results: The mean age of the nurses in the study was 31.79 ± 6.68 years. A statistically significant difference was found between the scores for the NPVS-R and their previous education about leadership (U:5.273, p < 0.05). A significant difference was also noted between the Toxic Leadership Scale scores and the educational status of the nurses (𝜒2 = 9.971, p < 0.001), whether or not they deliberately chose nursing as a profession (U:7.777, p < 0.05), whether or not they willingly served as a nurse (U:8.458, p < 0.001) and whether or not they willingly served in their current unit (U:8.475, p < 0.05). The total score and the subdimension scores of the Toxic Leadership Scale and NPVS-R Scale were not significantly correlated (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The results demonstrated that nurses who deliberately chose nursing as a career option, who willingly served as a nurse and who willingly served in their current units were comparatively less influenced by the managers with toxic leadership attitudes. It was similarly determined that nurses with higher levels of education and those who received in-service training were less influenced by toxic managers. It was finally noted that working with toxic managers had no significant effect on the nurses' perception of professional values.
Implications for nursing management: The results indicated that although toxic leadership and nurses' perception of professional values were not significantly correlated, toxic behaviours may cause a depreciation in nurses' perception of professional values and beliefs, as noted in other relevant studies. It is thus necessary to be aware of the effects of toxic leadership behaviours on nurses and the institution and that precautions be taken by management against any negative effects. Supporting nurses with in-service training and building up resistance against toxic leadership behaviours will be beneficial for the proper and effective functioning of the institution.
Keywords: leadership; managers; nurses; professional values; toxic.
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