ABSTRACT
In an effort to improve patient safety, healthcare organizations have begun to
focus on nursing leadership at the clinical level. The purpose of this study was to develop
and test a model of staff nurse clinical leadership, defined as a process of leadership
which operates at the point of care and is demonstrated in the leader behaviours of staff
nurses providing direct patient care. A new measure of clinical leadership was developed
for this study. Staff nurse perceptions of the influence of nurse manager leadership
practices and empowering work environments on their ability to use clinical leader
behaviours in their practice were examined. This was a non-experimental design study
using a survey method to access registered nurses in direct care roles in acute care
hospitals in Ontario. Results indicated that staff nurses have integrated clinical leadership
into their practice and show staff nurse perceptions of nurse manager leadership practices
were directly and positively related to empowered work environments. It was through
these environments that nurse manager leadership practices influenced staff nurse clinical
leadership. This study provided an important contribution to understanding the concept of
staff nurse clinical leadership and how this relates to work empowerment and nurse
manger leadership practices. It has important implications for nursing practice, nursing
administration and nursing education.