Clinical nurse managers’ leadership practices in Saudi Arabian hospitals: A descriptive cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aim To understand the situational profiles of clinical nurse managers’ transformational leadership practices in Saudi hospitals. Background Clinical nurse managers’ effective leadership may enable registered nurses to provide safe patient care. Methods This included 29 clinical nurse managers and 318 registered nurses from three Saudi hospitals. Data were collected using the leadership practice inventory‐self and the leadership practice inventory‐observer. Results A significant difference between self‐ and observer‐assessed transformational leadership practices of clinical nurse managers was found. There was also a significant difference in transformational leadership practice between Saudi and non‐Saudi clinical nurse managers. Ward experience of clinical nurse managers was statistically positively associated with higher ratings of “enabling others to act”. Length of clinical nurse managers’ experience was associated with “enabling others to act” and “encouraging the heart” practices. Conclusion Clinical nurse managers rated their transformational leadership performance higher than that reported by registered nurses. Further, non‐Saudi clinical nurse managers working in Saudi hospitals overestimated the extent of their transformational leadership practices. Implications for Nursing Management Clinical nurse managers should gather feedback about their leadership performance regularly and implement required changes. Hospital administrations should provide additional support to clinical nurse managers through effective leadership programmes, enculturation and team‐building strategies, to create a shared vision regarding the execution of optimal leadership.

Transformational leadership practices of nurse managers: the effects on the organizational commitment and job satisfaction of staff nurses

“…The leadership practices of nurse managers can directly affect the organizational commitment and job satisfaction of staff nurses (Boamah et al , 2018; Iqbal et al , 2020; Penconek et al , 2021). Transformational leadership practices in health institutions have gained importance and might determine whether employees continue working in the institution (Iqbal et al , 2020; Labrague et al , 2020; Sammut and Scicluna, 2020; Alharbi et al , 2021; Penconek et al , 2021).…”

“…Kouzes and Bosner’s leadership practice model encompasses the following five key practices: challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modelling the way and encouraging the heart. Transformational leadership is future-oriented and open to innovation, change and reform (Sammut and Scicluna, 2020; Alharbi et al , 2021). It is an appropriate leadership approach for nurses (Boamah et al , 2018; Iqbal et al , 2020; Sammut and Scicluna, 2020) and guarantees a better future of nursing in the health sector (Wang et al , 2011).…”

The Leadership Practices of Nurses in the New Zealand Hospital Ward: A Focused Ethnography

“…Using Kouzes and Posner's (2013) quantitative Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), the performances of clinical nurse managers were assessed with the five elements of transformational leadership: encouraging the heart; modelling the way; inspiring a shared vision; challenging the process; and enabling others to act. Both Saudi and non-Saudi clinical nurse managers rated their own leadership practice performance higher than was observed by the registered nurses, with non-Saudi clinical nurse managers inflating the effect of their practices beyond their colleagues (Alharbi et al, 2021) Finding that the practitioners were the lynchpin between people, processes, and patient care, four subthemes captured the skills and roles observed. These were that the advanced nurse practitioners were a resource, facilitated every aspect of patient care, were role models and ensured continuity of care.…”

“…The transformational leadership performance of clinical nurse managers was assessed to understand their situational profiles (Alharbi et al, 2021). Self-assessments by 29 clinical nurse managers and the perspectives of 318 registered nurses were gathered from three Saudi hospitals.…”