A commentary on spiritual leadership and workplace spirituality in nursing management.

Abstract

Bring to discussion spiritual leadership and workplace spirituality on a health care system that faces constant challenges and seeks constant adaptations, as a way to guarantee nurses' well-being and quality of care. The work environment has shown to have impact on staff well-being. Workplace spirituality relates to sense of belonging, motivation and commitment. A spiritual leadership is fundamental to develop workplace spirituality. Starting from literature, a reflection on the theme was carried out based on the results of the development of spiritual leadership and workplace spirituality in health care institutions, in professionals and in patients. Nurses have spiritual needs which need to be also addressed in order to promote the sense of identification with the institutions' vision and goals. A relation between spiritual leadership, workplace spirituality and subjective well-being is often found in literature, and this is critical evidence towards new management and leadership dynamics and models in health care institutions that should integrate workplace spirituality. Nursing leaders are responsible for workplace spirituality facilitation. Nursing leadership and workplace spirituality seem both an answer and way to the change of health institutions management paradigm, but more studies are needed to inform this change in practice. Workplace spirituality must be promoted in all health care institutions, aiming the humanization of care and teams. Nursing leaders must have spiritual competences and must include the promotion of workplace spirituality in daily agenda as a foundational area in management. The health care institutions' managers should consider the best leaders who should facilitate workplace spirituality.