The role of authentic leadership in nurses’ stress and burnout in emergency departments

Abstract

PurposeNurses are one the essential health-care providers within society, seeking the employment of authentic leadership approaches to reduce the burnout and stressors established within the emergency departments. Burnout has been vitally documented as a psychological impulse that emerges due to the prevalence of chronic job stressors. Authentic leadership approaches will act as an affirmative organizational resource that could help to minimize burnout in the work environments. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the role of authentic leadership in stress and burnout among nurses in emergency departments.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design. A package of surveys was distributed to nurses working in emergency departments using standardized questionnaires that measured the study variables. A total of 188 nurses participated in the study. SPSS was used to analyze data.FindingsThe study’s results supported the hypotheses and found that authentic leadership significantly and negatively influenced nurses’ job stress R = –0.169, p = 0.0205. Also, the results of this study found that the relationship between authentic leadership and burnout was significant and negative R = –0.245, F (1,186) = 11.8, p = 0.0007.Originality/valueNurse leaders can introduce flexible working hours and develop coordination and cooperation among nurses, and management of the hospitals needs to focus on improving the structure and enhancing nurses’ outcomes that could affect patients’ and organizations’ outcomes.