Against this background the following research study was undertaken. The principal aim of the study was to examine critically contemporary nursing leadership in context. The research questions posed attempt to explore the profile of the future nurse leader and examine nursing leadership within the four category areas of political, executive, academic and clinical. The following research questions were specifically explored:
1 What is the profile of nursing leaders who are considered to be effective in their leadership role?
2 How do leaders position themselves in relation to influencing in a political, executive, academic and clinical capacity?
3 What knowledge base and skill set can be identified for influencing in each of these domains?
4 How do leaders operate to influence the context within which they are working?
The research questions attempt to uncover and understand the current status and socio-political order of nursing leadership. In seeking to understand methods of leadership influence within existing structures, the research aimed to uncover and critique existing ideologies. The critical paradigm was adopted as a philosophical framework to underpin the research methodology and to inform the analysis of the data. Critical theory is concerned with more than negative
judgement. It refers to a much more positive act of exposing existing beliefs and values that restrict or limit human freedom. In effect, critical theory sets out to explain the social order in such a way as to serve as a catalyst for the transformation of that order (Nielson 1990). The purpose of knowledge generation within a critical framework is to promote social change. Knowledge is dynamic, changing and embedded in the socio-political context of the time (Harvey 1990, Hammersley 1992). Consequently, within this research, critical theory was used to examine some of the assumptions surrounding nursing leadership and the implications those assumptions have for the way in which nursing leadership is
currently understood