Objectives: to identify the primary constructs concerning authentic leadership and its relevance for nurses' professional practice.
Methods: integrative literature review conducted between 2015 and 2020 in LILACS, SciELO, and PubMed databases.
Results: the United States published most of the 31 studies analyzed, with eight studies (25.8%), followed by Canada with seven studies (22.6%), and Brasil with five (16.1%). Most studies adopted a quantitative approach (77.41%), and 96.8% presented weak evidence. Three categories emerged: Work Engagement/Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment; Healthy Work Environment; and Intention to Quit the Job and Mental Exhaustion.
Final considerations: authentic leadership positively contributes to management and nursing care practice, promoting healthy work environments, structural empowerment, greater work engagement, and organizational commitment, decreasing absenteeism and mental exhaustion.