A mixed-methods systematic review of interventions to improve leadership competencies of managers supervising nurses

Development of a training program prototype to enhance implementation leadership competencies and behaviours of Chinese unit nurse managers: a qualitative descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Unit nurse managers hold essential positions that can facilitate implementation of evidence-based practice. Studies showed that nurse managers in China lacked competencies and behaviours necessary to lead evidence-based practice implementation. The aim of the current study was to develop a context-fit training program prototype to enhance leadership competencies and behaviours regarding evidence-based practice implementation of Chinese unit nurse managers.

METHOD

We used a descriptive qualitative study design and followed the integrated knowledge translation approach to co-develop the prototype in a tertiary hospital in Changsha, China. Seven nurse managers from the participated hospital and a researcher co-developed the prototype based on the Ottawa Model of Implementation Leadership (O-MILe). The development process encompassed four phases from November 2021 to March 2022 that involved group discussions (n = 4) and individual interviews (n = 21). All data were analysed by two independent researchers using the thematic analysis method.

RESULTS

Managers agreed that all O-MILe behaviours were important to evidence-based practice implementation, and only minor modifications were needed for clarification and adaptation. The actions managers identified that could operationalize the leadership behaviours were related to current clinical practices, evidence-based practice, nurses, patients, interprofessional staff members, incentives and resources, organization and external entities. Three types of general competencies related to evidence-based practice, professional nursing, and implementation leadership were identified. Multimodal activities such as lectures, experience sharing, group discussions, plan development and coaching were suggested to deliver the training program.

CONCLUSIONS

All O-MILe leadership behaviours were perceived as essential for unit nurse managers to lead EBP implementation in the hospital context in China. We identified the leadership actions and the competencies required for nursing managers to implement EBP in China. Further studies are required to evaluate the acceptability and impact of this prototype. Further studies with large sample sizes across various clinical settings are needed to facilitate the generalization of the findings and gain an in-depth understanding of the program.

Relationship between transformational leadership, adverse patient events, and nurse-assessed quality of care in emergency units: The mediating role of work satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Effective leadership plays a pivotal role in healthcare settings, particularly in the fast-paced and high-pressure environment of the emergency room, as it is closely linked to patient safety and the overall quality of care. This study assessed the mediating role of work satisfaction in the relationship between nurses' perceptions of their nurse managers' transformational leadership, reported adverse patient events, and the nurse-assessed quality of care in the emergency units.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey design was carried out involving 283 emergency room nurses from the Philippines, utilizing standardized scales. Mediation testing was performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro in SPSS (Model 4).

RESULTS

Emergency room nurses perceived their nurse managers as highly transformational. Nurses' perceptions of transformational leadership in their nurse managers were associated with a reduction in reported adverse patient events and an increase in nurse-assessed nursing care quality. Work satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and nurse-assessed nursing care quality, but it did not serve as a mediator between transformational leadership and reported adverse patient events.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that enhancing transformational leadership behaviors among nurse leaders can foster work satisfaction in ER nurses, which, in effect, contributes to enhanced nursing quality of care provision in emergency settings.

Nurse managers' perceptions of the prospective acceptability of an implementation leadership training programme: A qualitative descriptive study

AIM

To explore the prospective acceptability of an implementation leadership training programme prototype for nurse managers in China to implement evidence-based practices, from the perspectives of potential programme participants and deliverers.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in Spring 2022 at three tertiary hospitals in Hunan, China.

METHODS

We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with unit-level nurse managers (n = 14), including 12 potential participants, and two potential deliverers that have been involved in developing the programme prototype. Interview questions and thematic analysis were guided by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability.

RESULTS

After reviewing the programme content, potential participants and deliverers reported that unit nurse managers would benefit from engaging in the programme, acknowledging that the programme fit with professional nursing values for implementing research evidence. They expressed positive views about being involved in producing academic papers through the training process, and interactive multi-modal training activities such as group work, experience-sharing and coaching. Seven participants were not very confident about being fully engaged in the training, as they could not navigate the English research literature. Both participants and deliverers highlighted factors that would influence their participation, including time constraints, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and support from senior organizational leadership.

CONCLUSIONS

The training programme prototype was perceived to be useful and acceptable. The multimodal training activities were considered a strength and managers expressed an interest in writing academic papers about their implementation processes. Support from senior hospital leaders and programme deliverers was identified as critical to the training programme's success.

IMPACT

The study helps understand nurse managers' perceptions and concerns of participating in an implementation leadership training programme and could inform the development and refinement of similar programmes in various nursing contexts globally.