Transformational leadership

Transformational leadership

Introduction

Good leadership is the main component in a nurse’s role because of its fast-changing healthcare environment. Leaders who exercise transformational style of leadership allow change recognition and guiding their subordinates and creating a sense of responsibility. Nursing is made up of emotional intelligence, competencies and technical skills (Ribelin, 2003). The transformational theory of leadership would be a great style of leadership because of its four components which are intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation idealized influence and individualized consideration (Cummings et al, 2010). Transformational style of leadership inspires subordinate by upholding high moral values where the leaders have a high set code of conduct this leads to subordinates acting for the greater good rather than their own selfish interest which is important in the healthcare sector. The aim of this research is to find out if the transformational style of leadership is the most effective style of leadership for retaining highly qualified nurses.

Transformational leadership in Nursing

Transformational leadership has a positive impact on the workplace environment. According to (Northouse, 2016). Leadership is a process created to influence people to achieve a particular set goal. Factor one of transformational leadership is the idealized influence, which includes a leader of a certain group setting high ethical and moral standards. This creates a code of conduct for the nurses to look up to and emulate. Factor two is all about inspirational motivation that leaders could put in use so as to inspire nurses to commit and completely own the goals and visions of the organization (Cummins et al, 2010). Due to the emotional work involved job, the nurses do use emotions to motivate them could be extremely effective. Factor three of transformational leadership is using intellectual stimulation to engage and challenge the nurses. This could motivate them to pursue continuing education, participating in research or even pursue committee membership at their workplace.

Impacts of leadership in Healthcare

Transformational leadership is a major factor that affects supervisor support. The behavior of the transformational leaders and a great level of nurse job satisfaction, organization and work commitment of the nurses are related (Tilliot et al, 2013). This also relates to workers enthusiasm to work beyond their required limits in an assigned job (Ribelin, 2003). After developing a positive relationship with the nurses the transformational leaders obtain the nurses’ trust and faith hence essential factors such as information, support and resource are made available to the workers. These factors are essential for employees to complete their work in a better way.

Transactional leadership

According to (Ribelin, 2003) transactional leadership entails specified requirements of a specified task, and provides gifts for completing those requirements and that action of completing the given requirement is called the transaction. On the other hand, the transformation leadership objective is to inspire and change their staff in order to improve their workplace performance (Hayati et al, 2014). Transformational leadership is comprised of four components namely charisma, intellectual stimulation, inspiration, and individual consideration while a transactional leadership is comprised of two components namely contingent reward and management by exception (Tilliot et al,2013). In contingent reward, the leader and the nurse have a mutual agreement of the rewards and the emphasis of fulfilling the requirement.

Transformational leadership style also affects job satisfaction, organizational commitment and the health of the nurses. Employee empowerment not only is important in mediating the relationship between transformational style of leadership but also enhances job satisfaction among nursing staff. Effective leadership is a key element to quality health care of both nurses and patients (Tilliot et al, 2013). Transformational leadership is related to effective management which establishes a culture of nurse and patient safety. Transformational style of leadership was found to positively relate with the nursing unit organizations culture, while the transactional style of leadership was found to be a very weak relationship.

Effect of transformational leadership on retention of nurses

            Transformational leadership also affects the performance and retention of nurses (Gardner, 2010). Healthcare organizations have a role to play in training their leaders in highly suitable methods of transformational leadership to retain highly qualified nurses. In the nursing sector, management of change, ability to negotiate and management of conflict are important skills that the nursing community should adopt in order to be great leaders (Northouse, 2016). Transformational leadership with the above- mentioned skills leads to retention of highly qualified nurses and high performance by the nurses. This is because subordinates prefer a leader with defined leadership style which is offered the transformational style of leadership.  

            Effective leadership in the nursing sector is a major factor in staff retention. Depending on the specialty and requirements, the cost of replacing a nurse is $66,560 to $133,120 (Van Oyen Force, 2005). These costs include orientation recruitment overtime expenditure when vacancies are posted and using an agency stuff to take up the roles (Faan, 2008). Different career opportunities in the shifting scale of the nursing sector may lead to inadequate staff hence it is important for organizations to take the necessary steps in retaining capable and efficient nurses. As major changes in the health sector occur the price of having ineffective leadership will become more costly.

Financial results of effective leadership

Healthcare organizations are encouraging and supporting nurses to play a proactive leadership role and be involved at the state and national level. It is important to note that there is a need for strong transformational nursing leaders (Van Oyen Force, 2005). Transformational leadership style encourages adaptation to change hence it’s important for nursing leaders to use this type of leadership due to the constantly changing healthcare system (Ribelin, 2003). The transformational leaders support change through inspiration and creating a sense of responsibility among the subordinates (Northouse, 2016). By adopting and applying the transformational style of leadership nurse leaders are confident when discussing the development of hospital policies, mentoring graduate nurses and the changing healthcare system.

             Healthcare system being an ever-changing sector financial pressures are bound to prepare themselves. Hospitals should be encouraged to improve quality care at the same time reducing cost. Advancing financial performance and delivering higher quality care can only be made possible by a perfect operational efficiency (Tilliot et al, 2013). This situation can be termed as impossible but it is an opportunity for nurse leaders to showcase what they are capable of in terms of providing quality healthcare. (Northouse, 2016). This is made possible by the transformational style of leadership. Working collectively, transformational nursing leaders are able to strategize and plan how to reduce the financial cost and be sensitive to ideas from other nursing leaders.

Quality healthcare

Leadership skills of nurse leaders have a huge impact on the achievement of acute healthcare hospitals. Nurse leaders also influence staff attitude and rapport (Ribelin, 2003). This clearly indicates how nurse leaders exercise leadership has an impact on the milieu of unit and level of staff loyalty to a particular hospital (Faan, 2008). Transformational leaders who positively impact good work setting strategizes and builds the loyalty of the staff to the hospital encourages hospital viability and success for the hospital.

            Good leadership is mandatory for the advancement of quality initiative that is important to patients as well as the viability of the hospitals’ finance (Van Oyen Force, 2005). Value-based purchasing reduces irresponsibility and supports the best subordinate staff who perform best (Faan, 2008). During the execution of the value-based purchasing model conditions at the hospital pose an inflammation cost as situations are not reimbursed.to ensure the fiscal sustainability of a particular organization the competence of good transformational nurse leaders are needed ( Northouse, 2016). This is done by ensuring the hospital provides quality care to their patients.

Conclusion

The aim of this research was achieved as the transformational style of leadership was concluded to be the most suitable style of leadership. Due to the turnover of the employees, the results obtained are difficult to maintain. New leaders must have a sense of commitment to the growth and development of the hospital by taking leadership courses offered by the hospital. This is important as it sustains the energy and inspiration of the group even after some of the staff, members retire or in case of employee turnover. With the everyday increase in nursing shortage, the nursing sector does itself a greater injustice by not preparing nurses for the transformational leadership role

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