Motivations, contradictions and ambiguities in the leadership of nurses in management positions in a university hospital

The strategic leadership of nursing directorates in the context of healthcare system reform

In Quebec, the strategic leadership of nursing directorates remains poorly documented despite its importance for the performance of their organizations. Using three focus groups and 31 individual semistructured interviews, a qualitative descriptive study was conducted, including 35 participants from 18 of the Quebec 34 health institutions created in 2015 by the last reform. Seven themes emerged: (1) taking ownership of the strategic positioning, (2) developing and communicating a vision, (3) making strategic, systematic, and measured choices, (4) reframing roles, (5) getting involved in the strategic decision-making processes, (6) developing the political capacity, and (7) building alliances. Four professional and organizational components influenced the nursing directorates' leadership capacity: clinical credibility, a sufficient number of people educated at the graduate level, organizational culture, and size of the institution. It is expected that these results regarding nursing directorates' exercise of strategic leadership will lead to better governance and quality of nursing care.

Positive aspects of authentic leadership in nursing work: integrative review

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify and analyze the existing scientific production on the positive aspects of authentic leadership in the nurse’s work process. Method: This is an integrative literature review. The databases used were Scientific Electronic Library Online; Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences; and National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Results: In this study, 17 articles were selected for analysis; 1 study (6%) was published in a national journal, and 16 (94%) were international studies. Of the 17 (100%) articles studied, 11 (65%) were developed in Canada. The hospital environment was present in the 17 (100%) articles. Final considerations: Authentic leadership has several positive aspects that significantly influence the nurse’s work process, such as engagement and job satisfaction, retention of new nurses, organizational commitment, among others.

Charismatic leadership among nursing professionals: an integrative review

ABSTRACT Objective: Analyze the literature for knowledge about charismatic leadership among nursing professionals. Method: This is an integrative review of the literature that searched for studies published in English, Portuguese and Spanish until 2016 in the following electronic databases: LILACS, Pubmed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Results: Three studies were selected from a total of twenty-one studies; they were arranged in two categories: validation of a charismatic leadership instrument and effects of charismatic leadership on followers' initiative-oriented behavior. Conclusion: Charismatic leadership is considered an important skill for nursing professionals as they generate a positive influence on followers, especially in times of crisis and changes. Considering the relevance of this style of leadership, the need to develop further studies on this subject is reinforced, given the low number of studies found in the literature.

PESQUISA EM ENFERMAGEM: BRASIL E PORTUGAL NA CONSTRUÇÃO DA IDENTIDADE PROFISSIONAL

RESUMO Objetivo: compreender a construção da identidade profissional na pesquisa em enfermagem de Brasil e de Portugal segundo a percepção de seus pesquisadores, adotando-se Gaston Bachelard como referencial teórico. Método: pesquisa descritiva, exploratória, de abordagem qualitativa, realizada no Brasil e Portugal. Adotou-se entrevista semiestruturada com 17 enfermeiros pesquisadores de ambos os países, com experiência em pesquisa científica e título de doutorado e/ou pós-doutorado. A análise dos dados obedeceu a seguinte ordem: fase exploratória, seleção das unidades de significado e processo de codificação das unidades de análise com a respectiva construção de categorias não-apriorísticas. Resultados: emergiram duas categorias para discussão: Objeto e linhas de pesquisa em enfermagem; e, Atitude política dos pesquisadores. Conclusão: as fragilidades na construção da identidade profissional precisam ser rompidas a partir do desenvolvimento de investigações experimentais, com respostas imediatas aos serviços de saúde e que atendam às demandas sociais. Profissional satisfeito é o maior marketing da profissão. Por meio da qualificação profissional na enfermagem será possível ocupar melhores cargos e desenvolver com maior propriedade o papel de liderança e a atitude política.

Leadership Practices in Hospital Nursing: A Self of Manager Nurses

OBJECTIVE

To assess the frequency of the leadership practices performed by the manager nurses of hospital institutions and their association with the variables of the socioprofessional profile.

METHOD

Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study conducted in four hospitals in a city of the state of São Paulo. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the instrument Leadership Practices Inventory were used. Data collection and analysis were based on an exemplary Leadership Practices Model.

RESULTS

Eighty-four manager nurses participated in the study. The mean values of the leadership practices used by the nurses were: enable others to act (50.6); encourage the heart (48.2); model the way (46.7); challenge the process (43.3); and inspire a shared vision (43.1). Data analysis also evidenced a correlation between the practice encourage the heart and the variables time of care and employment relationship.

Conclusion

The study evidenced the presence of manager nurses exercising moderate leadership, and promoting teamwork, an environment of trust, and a horizontal vision. However, moderate values also reveal managerial aspects to be improved by the leaders by means of organizational strategies and/or tools aimed at best leadership practices.

OBJETIVO

Avaliar a frequência das práticas de liderança executadas pelos enfermeiros gerentes de instituições hospitalares e sua associação às variáveis do perfil socioprofissional.

MÉTODO

Estudo transversal, descritivo e correlacional, realizado em quatro hospitaisde um município do interior paulista. Utilizou-se de questionário sociodemográfico e do instrumento Leadership Practices Inventory. A coleta e a análise de dados foram fundamentadas em um Modelo de Práticas para Liderança exemplar.

RESULTADOS

Participaram 84 enfermeiros gerentes. As médias das práticas de liderança utilizadas pelos enfermeiros foram: capacitar os outros a agir (50,6), encorajar o coração (48,2), traçar o caminho (46,7), desafiar o processo (43,3) e inspirar uma visão compartilhada (43,1). Na análise dos dados também se constatou correlação entre a prática encoraje o coração e as variáveis tempo de assistência e vínculo empregatício.

CONCLUSÃO

O estudo constatou a presença de enfermeiros gerentes exercendo liderança moderada, promovendo o trabalho em equipe, propiciando um clima de confiança e visão horizontalizada. No entanto, os valores moderados também revelam aspectos gerenciais a serem aprimorados pelos líderes, por meio de ferramentas e/ou estratégias organizacionais em busca de melhores práticas de liderança.

Nursing in the mirror: unveiling transpersonal leadership in team care

Objective

The aim of this paper was to reveal the individual nurse in the leadership process for transpersonal care of the nursing team.

Method

This is a descriptive-exploratory and qualitative study grounded in Transpersonal Care provided at the General Hospital in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, with 10 nurses who coordinated services at the unit in 2013. Data were collected using a mirror and semi-structured interviews subjected to thematic analysis.

Results

The following three categories emerged: Leadership in nursing: potentialities and barriers that permeate intersubjectivity; Transpersonal care of the leader with the team; and transpersonal leadership on balance: critical nodes.

Conclusion

The final reflections revealed the individual nurse in the leadership process for transpersonal care of the nursing team, and stress the need to provide institutional and educational support that can help develop the servant and transpersonal skills of the leading nurse.

Comparison between the working environment of nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context

Objective Comparing the working environment of nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context. Method A mixed methods research with concomitant triangulation of data developed in a university hospital in the South of Brazil. Participants in the quantitative study were 94 nursing assistants and 12 nurse managers. The data were collected using the Brazilian Nursing Work Index - Revised (B-NWI-R) and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Eight (8) nurse managers and 18 nursing assistants were interviewed for the qualitative study. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results The total B-NWI-R mean score for nurse managers was 2.15±0.39, and for nursing assistants it was 2.22±0.39. No statistical significance was identified in the comparison between the groups (p=0.508). The qualitative results show the existence of collaborative relationships between nurse managers and nursing assistants. Conclusion The working environment was similarly evaluated by nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context.

Governance of professional nursing practice in a hospital setting: a mixed methods study

Objective:

to elaborate an interpretative model for the governance of professional nursing practice in a hospital setting.

Method:

a mixed methods study with concurrent triangulation strategy, using data from a cross-sectional study with 106 nurses and a Grounded Theory study with 63 participants. The quantitative data were collected through the Brazilian Nursing Work Index - Revised and underwent descriptive statistical analysis. Qualitative data were obtained from interviews and analyzed through initial, selective and focused coding.

Results:

based on the results obtained with the Brazilian Nursing Work Index - Revised, it is possible to state that nurses perceived that they had autonomy, control over the environment, good relationships with physicians and organizational support for nursing governance. The governance of the professional nursing practice is based on the management of nursing care and services carried out by the nurses. To perform these tasks, nurses aim to get around the constraints of the organizational support and develop management knowledge and skills.

Conclusion:

it is important to reorganize the structures and processes of nursing governance, especially the support provided by the organization for the management practices of nurses.