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Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe qualities of an authentic leader and recognize authentic leadership behavior in others.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to use results of this study to support the adoption of authentic leadership behavior of nurse managers.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among authentic leadership of nurse managers and acute care nurses’ structural empowerment, and trust in their manager and to determine if structural empowerment mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and trust in the manager.
Background: Recently, high rates of absenteeism and nationwide nursing shortages have drawn attention to nurses’ work environments. Effective leadership, empowerment, and trust are aspects of a healthy work environment that significantly influence nurses’ sense of wellbeing and can impact important healthcare outcomes such as nurse turnover and retention. Authentic leadership is the proposed style of leadership needed to build trust, and for nurse managers to create and sustain healthy work environments that are associated with the promotion of patient safety, excellent patient care, and recruitment and retention of nurses. Currently, no studies examine the relationship between authentic leadership and empowerment, or authentic leadership in combination with structural empowerment and trust, and there is a gap in the nursing literature that describes the mechanisms by which leaders influence nurses’ attitudes, behaviours and other outcomes.
Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data collected using non-experimental, predictive mailed survey design in a random sample of 280 registered nurses working in acute care teaching and community hospitals in Ontario. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were used to test the hypothesized model.
Results: Authentic leadership and structural empowerment each had individual direct positive effects on nurses’ trust in their manager, but structural empowerment was not found to mediate the relationship between authentic leadership and nurses’ trust. Authentic leadership accounted for 48% of the variance in nurses’ trust in their manager.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that nurse managers’ authentic leadership and nurses’ structural empowerment increase trust in their manager and contribute to a healthy work environment.