Barriers to nurse leadership in an Indonesian hospital setting

Given the prominent role of nursing within modern health care environments, it is essential that leadership is viewed as a key capability. However, little is known on how leadership evolves amongst the nurses in Indonesia and the barriers that exist to nurses gaining access to leadership roles. Limited attention is given to address the improvement of nurse leadership for the benefit of the nurses in the country.

To identify organizational and individual practices and how these contribute to barriers to the development of nursing leadership in the hospital setting.

A qualitative study employing semi-structured face-to-face interviews and a thematic approach to data analysis.

Four key themes are derived as follows: (a) hierarchical leadership and the importance of organizational structure and gender, (b) restricted perspectives, both conceptual and spatial, (c) contractual barriers, and (d) professional barriers.

Achieving the desired nurses' leadership skills required persistence support and education. Acknowledgement on nurses as professional entity by minimizing aforementioned challenges would elevate nurses' ability to engage further both in organization and leadership improvement.

The findings of this study strengthen nursing leadership and management practice in hospital and beyond as they have helped to elucidate the nurses' viewpoints on barriers they have on leadership. This research highlighted evidence for decision-makers to bridge the gaps amongst nursing entities by, for example, encouraging regular nursing lectures for practice improvement, conducting research together/establishing research teams, or arranging interchange teaching between experienced nurses from the hospital and campus. Further, developing nursing professionals is one of the priorities for improving the Indonesian health profile, as nurses constitute the largest portion of Indonesian health workers.