Influencing Work Culture: A Strengths-Based Nursing Leadership and Management Education Program

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Leadership Development
• Organizational Psychology
• Workplace Culture Transformation

Background:

• Limited understanding exists on cultivating healthcare leaders' ability to shape work cultures that promote health and healing.
• Traditional healthcare models often focus on deficits, potentially hindering the creation of supportive and healing environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot and evaluate a program designed to enhance clinical leaders' capacity for creating Strengths-Based care environments.
• To assess the impact of leadership training on influencing healthcare work cultures.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed for program evaluation.
• Data were collected from a convenience sample of 15 participants across two clinical sites.

Main Results:

• The program demonstrated a significant impact on participants' leadership approach.
• Participants reported an increased impetus to influence work environments positively.
• A shift in discourse from deficit-based to strengths-based and relational leadership models was observed.

Conclusions:

• The piloted program is effective in equipping clinical leaders to foster Strengths-Based care environments.
• Leadership training can facilitate a cultural shift towards strengths-focused and relational approaches in healthcare settings.
• Developing leaders' capacity is crucial for promoting health and healing within healthcare organizations.