Leadership practices in hospital nursing: a self of manager nurses*

Abstract

Objective: To assess the frequency of the leadership practices performed by the manager nurses of hospital institutions and their association with the variables of the socioprofessional profile. Method: Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study conducted in four hospitals in a city of the state of Sao Paulo. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the instrument Leadership Practices Inventory were used. Data collection and analysis were based on an exemplary Leadership Practices Model. Results: Eighty-four manager nurses participated in the study. The mean values of the leadership practices used by the nurses were: enable others to act (50.6); encourage the heart (48.2); model the way (46.7); challenge the process (43.3); and inspire a shared vision (43.1). Data analysis also evidenced a correlation between the practice encourage the heart and the variables time of care and employment relationship. Conclusion: The study evidenced the presence of manager nurses exercising moderate leadership, and promoting teamwork, an environment of trust, and a horizontal vision. However, moderate values also reveal managerial aspects to be improved by the leaders by means of organizational strategies and/or tools aimed at best leadership practices.