REGISTERED NURSES' PERCEPTIONS OF LEADERSHIP SYSTEMS OF NURSE MANAGERS AND QUALITY OF WORK LIFE CONDITIONS AND FEELINGS.
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 126
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Health Care Management.
Description: This study described leadership systems of nurse managers and the relationship of nurse managers' leadership systems and quality of work life (QWL) outcomes of registered nurses. An adaptation of Harrison's (1987) systems based Model for Diagnosing Individual and Group Behavior was used to generate research questions designed to descriptively examine the relationship between individual leadership processes and individual level QWL outcomes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Leadership systems (Likert, 1967) were the independent variables, with QWL conditions and feelings as the dependent variables.

The predominant leadership system of nurse managers was the benevolent authoritative (59%), followed by the consultative (27%), exploitive authoritative (13%), and participative (1%). Registered nurses reported QWL conditions as "average" and QWL feelings as "good." Registered nurse perceptions of QWL outcomes were more positive with the identification of consultative and participative leadership systems. Differences were reported in QWL outcomes based on varied leadership systems of nurse managers. The study concluded that leadership systems of nurse managers affect QWL perceptions of registered nurses.

Implications of this study are pertinent to nursing administration, practice, education, and research. Nurse managers must assess their leadership systems and determine the most appropriate system to meet the individual needs of the registered nurses, thus promoting positive perceptions of QWL. Improved QWL outcomes may prove retention. Nurse educators must prepare nurses to use leadership systems appropriately to promote optimal QWL outcomes for registered nurses. Nurse researchers need to clarify the concept of QWL in nursing through definition and determination of QWL indicators for nursing. Additionally, instrumentation should be developed to promote consistency in measurement of QWL outcomes.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-09, Section: B, page: 4670.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1991.

School code: 0005.