Influence Of Supportive Leadership on Inexperienced Nurse Leaders’ Work Performance in Central West Quality Satellite Zone Hospitals in Malawi: A Mixed Methods Study
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Date
2024-08-15
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PAC University
Abstract
Nurses with inadequate clinical experience are increasingly assuming leadership roles as first-line managers due to the shortage of registered nurses in hospitals in Malawi. It is presumed that with support from senior nurses, inexperienced nurses can lead successfully. Research affirms the positive impact of Supportive Leadership (SL) on work performance. The objective of this research was to explore the influence of Supportive Leadership on Inexperienced Nurse Leaders' (INLs) work performance in Central West Quality Satellite Zone (CWQSZ) hospitals in Malawi. Mentoring, relationship building, team working and work environment were key constructs in SL. The study was underpinned by the path-goal leadership and the novice-to-expert nursing theories. The investigation used a convergent mixed methods design. The quantitative strand had a total population of 53 INLs and 42 Senior Nursing Officers (SNOs) all of whom were used as respondents in the study. Data was collected through survey questionnaires and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, employing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 27.0. Homogenous purposive sampling was used to select 10 SNOs and 10 INLs for the qualitative strand. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and was analysed using Collaizi’s thematic method. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Pan Africa Christian University Ethics Committee in Kenya and the National Commission for Science and Technology in Malawi. The results revealed that mentoring empowered INLs to lead, though it was executed inconsistently. Nurse leaders acknowledged the presence of social and work relationships in the wards. The relationships eased work, and the INLs felt supported. The wards had collaborative teams that enhanced the achievement of clinical goals. The work environment was conducive in some wards but not in others. The main challenges were a shortage of nurses, and material and financial resources. Statistical findings revealed the significant influence of mentoring (β=0.922, P < 0.001); relationship building (β=1.426, P < 0.001; team working (β=0.599, P < 0.001); and work environment (β=1.182, P < 0.001) on INLs’ work performance. Overall, Supportive Leadership had a significant influence on work performance (P < 0.001, R2 0.829). The findings will assist senior nurse practitioners, educators, and policymakers in understanding how best to support INLs taking on positions of leadership. The study suggests the development of an SL framework and mentorship tool for use by SNOs to promote INLs' work performance in CWQSZ hospitals in Malawi. The Ministry of Health should address the resource shortage hindering the successful implementation of SL. The study's findings contribute to the limited knowledge about SL in nursing practice. Further research could be conducted on the impact of other leadership styles on INLs’ work performance. The research could also be conducted on a large scale in all five quality satellite zones of Malawi and at different levels of nursing leadership.