A study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing says that the management style called “transformational leadership” helps nurses improve care and boost retention of nurses early in their career.
The study also stated the obvious: Abusive management practices hurt patient care and prompt young nurses to consider quitting.
Transformational leadership encourages employees to work toward a collective goal within a supportive environment, said an announcement from McGill University, which conducted the study along with researchers from Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Researchers surveyed 541 registered nurses practicing in Quebec and with an average age of 26.
“Paying close attention to the leadership practices of nurse managers could prove effective in improving patient care and increasing the retention of new nurses, which is helpful in resolving the nursing shortage,” the researchers concluded.
Abusive leadership isn’t limited to nurse managers. Nurses who get bullied by physicians and higher-level nurses can take out their frustration on their peers, as FierceHealthcare previously reported.
