• D K Boyle, M J Bott, H E Hansen, C Q Woods, and R L Taunton.
• School of Nursing, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA.
• Am. J. Crit. Care. 1999 Nov 1;8(6):361-71.

BackgroundCyclical fluctuations in turnover of critical care nurses are a large and complex problem. Managers' leadership characteristics may be a determinant of critical care nurses' intent to stay in the job.ObjectiveTo examine the direct and indirect effects of nurse-managers' characteristics of power, influence, and leadership style on critical care nurses' intent to stay in the nurses' employment positions.MethodsThe sample was 255 staff nurses in intensive care units at 4 urban hospitals. Established instruments with sound reliability and validity were used to assess the predictor, intervening, and outcome variables. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships in a conceptual model of intent to stay.ResultsThe model explained 52% of the variance in intent to stay, and managers' characteristics were significant at each stage. Managers' position power and influence over work coordination had a direct link to intent to stay; structuring expectations and consideration contributed indirectly through the variables of instrumental communication, autonomy, and group cohesion. Instrumental communication, autonomy, and group cohesion decreased job stress and thus increased job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was directly linked with intent to stay.ConclusionsInclusion of nurse-managers' characteristics explained more variance in intent to stay than did previous models. Managers with leadership styles that seek and value contributions from staff, promote a climate in which information is shared effectively, promote decision making at the staff nurse level, exert position power, and influence coordination of work to provide a milieu that maintains a stable cadre of nurses.

22 keywords...

hide…