Nursing managers' leadership skills : an investigation.

Abstract

In Malta, the demand for state health care services is on the increase. This increase does not only pose an economic problem, but also a burden on the human resources, especially nurses, working in this sector. However, it is acknowledged that through leadership, human resources can be efficient and effective. Since, Departmental Managers represent the majority of nurses working at the state-funded acute hospital in Malta, this study sought to identify those leadership skills which these managers employ and which they are expected to practice, through a bottom-up approach. Inspired by grounded theory, this research revealed how employees at shopfloor level are led. Through qualitative inquiry, staff described the leadership skills which Departmental Managers use in their daily work. In fact, it was revealed that Departmental Managers use both positive and negative leadership characteristics. However, whereas Positive characteristics resulted from only one source of information, Negative characteristics were obtained from two different sources of information. In addition to this, staff put forward the leadership skills which they expect Departmental Managers to practice in their daily work. These leadership skills were compared to what they mentioned as being those leadership skills actually practised by Departmental Managers. In reality, most of the leadership skills which staff stated that Departmental Managers do not practice, they repeated as being those skills which these managers are expected to practice. Interestingly, thirteen skills which staff expects Departmental Managers to practice are emotional intelligence skills.