Kouzes and Posner's (1995) leadership model is consistent with the defining
attributes of clinical leadership. As clinical leaders, staff nurses use these leader
behaviours to collaborate and influence their nursing colleagues, other members of the
inter professional healthcare team, their patients and family members to achieve patient
goals through safe, high quality care. Unfortunately, not only has clinical leadership not
been measured or studied empirically, it has not been examined in relation to other
factors that may influence these behaviours in the clinical setting. Several studies have
shown that nurse leaders play an important role in facilitating the professional practice of
staff nurses (Krairksh & Anthony, 2001; Manojlovich, 2005a; Scott et al.,1999;
Upeneiks, 2003). In this study, it is argued that the use of Kouzes and Posner's
leadership practices by nurse managers is important for creating the context for clinical
leadership by establishing empowering work environments for staff nurses to
demonstrate leader behaviours in their practice.