Leadership Behaviours Of Nurse Managers As Perceived By Nurses In The 37 Military Hospital Ghana

ABSTRACT The perception of nurses about the leadership behaviours of their Nurse Managers is essential in determining the kind of leadership behaviours Nurse Managers adopt, what influences these leader behaviours and their effectiveness. This study investigated the leadership behaviours of Nurse Managers as perceived by nurses in the 37 Military hospital Ghana. A quantitative crosssectional approach was used to collect data from 205 nurses who met the inclusion criteria took part in the study, with a 98% (201) response rate. Data were processed and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics revealed that nurses had the perception that the predominant leadership behaviour adopted by the Nurse Manager, was the directive leader behaviour (M=3.95, SD=0.66). The participative leader behaviour (M=3.36, SD=0.64), was the least adopted leadership behaviour. A moderator analysis was done to determine the influence of employee and task characteristics on the relationship between leadership behaviours and leader effectiveness. The moderator analysis indicated that 88% of nurses between the ages of 22-42years had the perception that their Nurse Managers adopted the supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented leadership behaviours. Educational qualifications also had a significant moderator effect on directive leader behaviour. For task characteristics, the study revealed that nurses had the perception that when the task is well structured and outlined, their Nurse Managers employed the supportive, participative and achievement-oriented leader behaviours; and the participative and achievement-oriented leader behaviours for team dynamics. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between leadership behaviours and leader effectiveness. The study further revealed that nurses had the perception that when their Nurse Managers used the directive and participative leader behaviours, it led to leader effectiveness. The findings have implications for nursing management and practice, nursing education and future research. It is hoped that further research will be done on the perception of nurses on the leadership behaviours of their Nurse Managers, and the influence of employee and task characteristic on the leadership behaviours of Nurse Managers. The finding of this study further supports that situational leadership is used by nurse leaders