Authentic Leadership and Nursing Practice Environments: A Structural Equation Modeling

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Nursing Leadership

Background:

• The nursing practice environment significantly impacts nurse retention and patient care quality.
• Effective leadership is crucial for fostering a positive work environment in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between authentic leadership and the nursing practice environment within a multihospital system.
• To determine the extent to which authentic leadership behaviors influence nurses' perceptions of their work environment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 431 nurses from 7 hospitals.
• Validated questionnaires assessed leadership styles and the work environment.
• Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Authentic leadership behaviors accounted for up to 45.8% of the variance in nurses' perceived leadership support.
• Strong associations were found between authentic leadership and increased nurse participation, improved staffing perceptions, and enhanced collaboration.
• Leadership support was a significant mediator in the relationship between authentic leadership and practice environment factors.

Conclusions:

• Authentic leadership serves as a critical factor in optimizing the nursing practice environment.
• Implementing authentic leadership strategies can lead to improved workforce stability, higher nurse engagement, and better patient care outcomes.
• Healthcare organizations should consider fostering authentic leadership to enhance the overall nursing work environment.