Conclusion
The research evidence highlights a clear connection between supportive leadership approaches and positive patient safety outcomes (lower medication errors, nosocomial infections and patient mortality) and higher patient satisfaction; however, future longitudinal and intervention studies testing sound leadership theories that include mechanisms of leadership influence must be conducted in a variety of healthcare settings to establish a stronger evidence base. Research findings also suggest that leaders’ value for and knowledge of patient care requirements, the quality of their interpersonal skills and their facilitation of healthy working conditions and engagement in leadership behaviors that inspire nursing teams to higher levels of performance are important predictors of improved patient outcomes.