CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this study is to develop and test a model of staff nurse clinical
leadership. The model integrates Kouzes and Posner's (1995) concept of leadership and
Kanter's (1977) organizational empowerment theory to describe how nurse managers'
leadership practices create empowering work environments that enable the use of clinical
leadership behaviours by staff nurses. In this study clinical leadership relates to nursing
behaviours embedded in the practice of staff nurses providing direct patient care at the
clinical level. This differs from the more common view of clinical leadership as
leadership behaviours of individuals in formal leadership positions. A clinical leader is
defined as a registered nurse who as an expert clinician involved in providing direct
patient care, influences and coordinates patients, families, and healthcare team colleagues
for the purpose of integrating the care they provide to achieve positive patient outcomes.