Nurse Managers' Perceptions Related to Their Leadership Styles, Knowledge, and Skills in These Areas—A Viewpoint: Case of Health Centre Wards in Finland

Soili Vesterinen,Helena Laukkala,Leena Paasivaara,Marjo Suhonen,Arja Isola

doi:10.1155/2013/951456

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore nurse managers' perceptions related to their leadership styles, knowledge, and their skills in these areas in health centre wards in Finland. The data were collected from nurse managers (n = 252) in health centre hospitals in Finland using a structured questionnaire (response rate 63%). Six leadership styles—visionary, coaching, affiliate, democratic, commanding, and isolating—were reflected on. Almost all respondents in every age group considered four leadership styles—visionary, coaching, affiliate, and democratic—to be very important or important. Nurse managers estimated their knowledge and skills in leadership styles to be essentially fairly sufficient or sufficient. Nurse managers' abilities to reflect, understand, and, if necessary, change their leadership style influence the work unit's success and employees' job satisfaction. Nurse managers, especially new nurse managers, need more theoretic, evidence-based education to cope with these expectations and to develop their professional abilities. Together with universities, health care organizations should start planning nurse manager education programmes that focus on strategic issues, leadership, job satisfaction, challenging situations in leadership, change management, work unit management (e.g., economy, efficiency, and resources), and how the nurse managers consider their own wellbeing.

Highlights

In many European countries, the public health care system is facing challenges, such as problems in recruiting professionals [1, 2] and staff retention [3]
Especially new nurse managers, need more theoretic, evidence-based education to cope with these expectations and to develop their professional abilities
Health care organizations should start planning nurse manager education programmes that focus on strategic issues, leadership, job satisfaction, challenging situations in leadership, change management, work unit management, and how the nurse managers consider their own wellbeing

Summary

Introduction

In many European countries, the public health care system is facing challenges, such as problems in recruiting professionals [1, 2] and staff retention [3]. One of the major challenges in Finland is how to secure adequate, trained personnel. The proportion of persons aged over 65 in the Finnish population is estimated to rise from 17 percent to 27 percent by 2040 [4]. Shortage of staff is an imminent threat: 22.5 percent of the employees in social and health care will reach the age of 67 by 2020 at the latest. 26 percent of young Finnish nurses have often thought of leaving their profession [6]. Work experience in health care (n = 249) 30.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion