Is Leadership a Resource? A Systematic Review of Its Role in Burnout and Engagement Among Nurses Within the JD-R...

Leadership significantly influences nurses' occupational well-being, particularly their levels of burnout and work engagement, according to the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. This model posits that job demands increase burnout, whereas resources, such as leadership, promote work engagement.

To analyze the influence of leadership styles on burnout and work engagement among nurses within the theoretical framework of the JD-R model.

A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines between July and October 2024 in PubMed, CINAHL, WOS, SCOPUS, PROQuest, and PsycInfo. Quantitative observational studies focused on nurses and evaluating leadership, burnout, and work engagement within the JD-R model were included. A total of 38 relevant studies were identified and assessed for methodological quality using the STROBE tool.

Of the studies, 89.47 were cross-sectional and 10.53% were longitudinal. Transformational, authentic, and servant leadership styles demonstrated protective effects against burnout and promoted engagement. Transformational leadership emerged as the most frequently studied style, consistently associated with lower burnout levels and higher engagement. Conversely, negative styles such as abusive leadership were linked to increased burnout. Most studies used the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) to measure key variables.

Effective leadership is a critical resource for improving nurses' well-being and performance. Investing in leadership development programs can reduce burnout and enhance engagement, benefiting both nurses and patients. Future studies should include longitudinal designs and explore innovative approaches, such as secure base leadership.