A PROFILE OF A NATIONAL NURSE LEADER: A STUDY OF WOMEN LEADERS.
Contributors: Pepperdine University.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 271
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: State of the problem and purpose. There is a critical need for more nursing leaders in the areas of practice, research, theory development, politics, education, and administration. There are few studies on national nursing leadership.

This study responded to the need for more nurse leaders with the following research objectives: (1) identify and report the characteristics of national leaders (including nursing) and the factors that have contributed to their development; (2) determine the feasibility of developing a profile of a national nurse leader; (3) validate, if feasible, the leadership characteristics and factors of national nurse leaders and develop a profile of a national nurse leader; and (4) make recommendations regarding the education and development of national nursing leaders as well as further research.

Procedures. Qualitative research methods were used in this study. More specifically the study was formatted in accordance with reconstructed logic and the critical incident technique was used for field interviews. Eleven women nurse leaders were identified by the reputational method as the participants. The study was limited to women in nursing.

The data collection and tools that were developed were: (1) a Demographic Data Form, and (2) a Critical Incident Questionnaire (gathering data related to development as a leader, risk taker, and creative thinker), and (3) a Validated Leadership Characteristics and Factors Inventory. A Panel of Experts was formed to serve as an advisory panel and to validate the findings of the study.

Findings and recommendations. The primary result of this study was a Profile of a National Nurse Leader. The Panel of Experts validated a total of 29 characteristics and 11 factors as representative of national leadership. Six characteristics and three factors of leadership were identified in the study and not in the literature. The recommendations encourage the profession of nursing and schools of nursing to use the findings to augment curricula and strengthen the development of nurse leaders. Further research areas are proposed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-05, Section: B, page: 1859.

Thesis (ED.D.)--PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, 1989.

School code: 6009.