Front-line managers as boundary spanners: effects of span and time on nurse supervision satisfaction.

To examine the influence of nurse manager span (number of direct report staff), time in staff contact, transformational leadership practices and operational hours on nurse supervision satisfaction. Increasing role complexity has intensified the boundary spanning functions of managers. Because work demands and scope vary by management position, time in staff contact rather than span may better explain managers' capacity to support staff. A descriptive, correlational design was used to collect cross-sectional survey and prospective work log and administrative data from a convenience sample of 558 nurses in 51 clinical areas and 31 front-line nurse managers from four acute care hospitals in 2007-2008. Data were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling. Span, but not time in staff contact, interacted with leadership and operational hours to explain supervision satisfaction. With compressed operational hours, supervision satisfaction was lower with highly transformational leadership in combination with wider spans. With extended operational hours, supervision satisfaction was higher with highly transformational leadership, and this effect was more pronounced under wider spans. Operational hours, which influence the manager's daily span (average number of direct report staff working per weekday), should be factored into the design of front-line management positions.

Meyer RM ，O'Brien-Pallas L ，Doran D ，Streiner D ，Ferguson-Paré M ，Duffield C ... -  《-》

Manager and staff perceptions of the manager's leadership style.

Failla KR ，Stichler JF 《-》

Leadership and job satisfaction among Azorean hospital nurses: an application of the situational leadership model.

The aim of this study was to describe nurse managers' leadership behaviours, comparing them with staff nurses' perceptions of their leader's leadership, as well as to determine if leadership components affect job satisfaction among staff nurses. Understanding the leadership phenomenon using a detailed theoretical framework, such as the situational leadership model, allows for the deconstruction of leadership into small segments, thereby producing a vast but detailed picture of the process involved in leading people. This quantitative, descriptive, inferential and correlational study involved the participation of 266 nurses (managers and staff) from two public Portuguese Azorean hospitals. The Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability Description questionnaire, developed by Hersey and Blanchard, was used to assess leadership behaviours. A job satisfaction instrument, developed by the authors, was also used to determine staff nurses' satisfaction. The study revealed important differences between nurse managers and staff nurses regarding the perception of leadership components. Low levels of job satisfaction among staff nurses were detected. It was also found that some leadership components are related to staff nurses' satisfaction. Nurse managers must be aware of their leadership, applying appropriate styles, thereby developing their staff nurses' skills while promoting their professional satisfaction. Leadership is a complex process that is not separable from job satisfaction. Promoting effective leadership through formal training among nurse managers may translate into having more satisfied nurses, better nursing care, and stronger leadership.

Furtado LC ，Batista Mda G ，Silva FJ 《-》

Transformational leadership: effect on the job satisfaction of Registered Nurses in a hospital in China.

The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between the transformational leadership of nurse managers and job satisfaction among clinical Registered Nurses at a tertiary care hospital in China. The healthcare system is changing rapidly. Research in Western countries has shown that transformational leadership affects job satisfaction. However, very little research related to this subject has been conducted in healthcare settings in China. The sample consisted of 238 nurses who work at a tertiary care hospital in China. Data were collected from April to August 2006. Research instruments included a demographic data form, a Leadership Practice Inventory and a Job Satisfaction Scale for clinical registered nurses. Both the transformational leadership of nurse managers and job satisfaction among clinical Registered Nurses were at a moderate level. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the transformational leadership of nurse managers and job satisfaction (r = 0·556, P < 0·001). The findings indicate that the transformational leadership of nurse managers could have an effect on the job satisfaction of clinical Registered Nurses.

Wang X ，Chontawan R ，Nantsupawat R 《-》

Power sharing. A transformational strategy for nurse retention, effectiveness, and extra effort.

Trofino J 《-》