The Effect of Nurses ‘Leadership Behavior on the Quality of Nursing Care and Patient Outcomes

Objective The effect of nursing management styles on patient outcomes and the quality of nursing care (QNC) has recently become a topic of discussion. This review was conducted to examine the effects of leadership styles or behaviors on QNC and on patient outcomes. Methods 13 research studies published between 1 January 2010 and 31 May 2016 which conformed to the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Results The effects of nursing leaders ‘leadership styles or behaviors were examined in studies on patient mortality, QNC from the perspective of nurses, patient satisfaction, unwanted/adverse events, health-care-associated infections, pressure ulcers, falls, unwanted weight loss, hospital read-missions, mismanagement of feeding tubes, and inadequacies in daily nursing care. Conclusions Relationship-focused leadership behaviors directly or indirectly improved patient outcomes and raised the QNC compared with task-focused leadership behaviors.