An Educational Program about Nursing Managers` Transformational Leadership, Conflict management Styles and Decision Making Effectiveness

Abstract

Background: Within nursing, there are leaders at many levels, such as those in direct leadership roles at a unit level and those in higher leadership roles at a service level. This can often lead to conflict and control-seeking, especially when final decisions need to be made. The study aims to enhance nursing managers' transformational leadership, conflict management styles and decision making effectiveness through an educational program. Quasi experimental design was used. The study was conducted at Medical Center at Tanta city. The sample consists of all available nursing managers (20) pull from different Ministry of Health Hospitals in El-Gharbia. The data was collected by using(1) Knowledge questionnaire test, (2) Transformational leadership scale,(3) Conflict management styles scale and, (4) Decision making effectiveness scale. Results: levels of nursing managers' total knowledge and all items of transformational leadership, conflict management, and decision making were significant improved post than pre program at P<0.05. The was significant positive correlation at p ≤ 0.05 between nursing managers’ total level of knowledge and conflict management strategies, decision making effectiveness as well as four dimensions of transformational leadership. Conclusion: Overall the evidence evaluating the effectiveness of nursing managers training program for enhancing their transformational leadership, conflict management styles and, decision making effectiveness indicates that their knowledge and skills was generally poor pre program. After implementation of the program, their knowledge scores significantly improved and their skills positively changed. It was recommended that early training, especially during undergraduate studies, is absolutely essential for an integrated knowledge of all aspects of leadership, decision making process and a constructive conflict resolution process. Key word: Nursing Managers, Transformational Leadership, Conflict management style, Decision making