The Effectiveness of Leadership Styles Exhibited by Nurse Administrators in the Hospital Organization

Abstract

The purpose o~ this descriptive correlational study was to describe the nature and degrees of leadership effectiveness of nurse administrators in the hospital setting. It was designed to determine the relationships between leadership effectiveness and hospital organizational level as p~rceived by self and sign~ficant others. The population for this study was drawn from a convenience sample of nurse administrators in three hospitals in a Southeastern metropolitan area. A total of 47 nurse administtatprs ~ere inc~uded. Of these 47 subjects, 33 were first level administrators (head nurs~s and unit coordinators), 11 were·mid level administrators (associate directors of nursing, ~irectors of departments of nursing, cliriical_supervisors and assistarit~directors of nursing) and 3 we~e top l~vel administrators (director of nursing, assistant/ass6ciate administrator for nursing). In addition, each administrator 9 s immediate supervisors and one or more subordinates provided support data. Data used in this study was collected with the use of a Demographic Data Questionnaire and the Leader Effectiveness and Adaptability Description Instruments by Hersey and Blanchard (1972). The instruments were used to measure primary and secondary leadership styles, style range and flexibility, and leadership effectiveness at all levels within the nursing administration organization. Primary and secondary leadership styles indicated that first, mid, and top level respondants perceived themselves as having a dominant style of High Task/High Relationship. The next frequently used style (secondary) was High Relationship/Low Task at all levels of.nurse administrators. Style range and flexibility and leadership effectiveness was found to be moderate at all levels. ·The r~lationship of leadership effectiveness at all levels were ~xplored as was leadership effectiveness by self, superiors and subordinates. Scores were subjected to a one way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD at the p ~ 0.5 level and no significant differences were found at the various levels or by self, superiors, or subordinates. Other findings, limitations, implications and suggestions for further research are also discussed.