Abstract
Background/Significance: Although the influence of leadership style on empowerment and job satisfaction is well documented, there are few researchers who examined the influence of the leader’s experience on developing the staff nurse’s empowerment and work satisfaction in the creation and sustainment of healthy work environments. The Magnet designation requires that the Magnet CNOs must have transformational and relationship-based leadership traits, yet we know little about the lived experiences of these leaders and how they came to acquire these traits (Pearson, 2020; Pilat & Merriam, 2019; Shaughnessy et al., 2018;).
The empirical evidence supports of the creation of the healthy work environment whether it is a Magnet designated facility or not. The assumption that Magnet designated environments have healthy work environments in place has been researched. There remains the continuing question: How do we develop the nurse leader and equip them with the leadership skills necessary to create these healthy work environments in which the staff nurses thrive, the patients get the best quality care, and there is a sense of trust, stability, and empowerment?
Purpose: Researchers have not studied the lived experience of nurse leaders to understand the influences that guide their success. This qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 12 influential nurse leaders from the state of Arizona to understand the influences of successful nurse leaders.
Research Questions:
RQ1: How do nurse leaders in Arizona make meaning of their leadership experience?
RQ2: How do nurse leaders prepare themselves for leadership roles in nursing?
Methodology: The use of a phenomenological approach was chosen for this study. Transformational leadership theory provided the underlying framework for the study. Face to face 60-90 minute interviews were conducted using 20 open ended questions. The semi-structured interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for similarities among the experiences.
Description of participants: The qualifications to participate in this study were that participants must have been an RN for at least 2 years and in a leadership position for at least 2 years. The leadership position could be the first line of leadership as a charge nurse or lead nurse to that of an executive leader. The nurse leaders were chosen by purposeful sampling.
Conclusions:Six themes emerged: have and use your voice; take leadership on the “walk”; invest in yourself and others; you own the culture; development of own style; and mentoring, teaching, and coaching. The data analysis led to the development of six themes with subthemes for each that may be adopted for further development of leadership competencies, development of healthy work environments, and leadership programs for transitioning nurse leaders.
Implications or Significance: The development of nurse leaders to be highly skilled in acute care settings are desired, but the ability to affect the health care of the United States through public policy by addressing equity of health and health care is greater. This study may be used for positive social change to transform the work environments of patient care, to develop health policy, and to affect patient outcomes.
Notes
References:
Mohammed, C. J., (2022). Lived experiences of nurse leaders (Publication No. 28969048) [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University], ProQuest, LLC.
Mohammed, C. J. (2022) Lived experiences of nurse leaders. Sigma Repository https://www.sigmarepository.org/handle.net/10755/22560
Pearson, M. M. (2020). Transformational leadership principles and tactics for the nurse executive to shift nursing culture. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(3), 142–151. http://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000858
Pilat, M., & Merriam, D. H. (2019). Exploring the lived experiences of staff nurses transitioning to the nurse manager role. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(10), 509–513. http://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000795
Shaughnessy, M. K., Griffin, M. T., Bhattacharya, A., & Fitzpatrick, J. J. (2018). Transformational leadership practices and work engagement among nurse leaders. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(11), 574–579. http://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000682
Sigma Membership
Chi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Phenomenology
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Nursing Leaders, Nurse Leaders, Work Environment, Nursing Leaders -- Psychosocial Factors, Life Experiences
Recommended Citation
Mohammed, Catherine J., "Lived Experiences of Nurse Leaders in Creating a Healthy Work Environment" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 69.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/69
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-20
Lived Experiences of Nurse Leaders in Creating a Healthy Work Environment
Washington, DC, USA
Background/Significance: Although the influence of leadership style on empowerment and job satisfaction is well documented, there are few researchers who examined the influence of the leader’s experience on developing the staff nurse’s empowerment and work satisfaction in the creation and sustainment of healthy work environments. The Magnet designation requires that the Magnet CNOs must have transformational and relationship-based leadership traits, yet we know little about the lived experiences of these leaders and how they came to acquire these traits (Pearson, 2020; Pilat & Merriam, 2019; Shaughnessy et al., 2018;).
The empirical evidence supports of the creation of the healthy work environment whether it is a Magnet designated facility or not. The assumption that Magnet designated environments have healthy work environments in place has been researched. There remains the continuing question: How do we develop the nurse leader and equip them with the leadership skills necessary to create these healthy work environments in which the staff nurses thrive, the patients get the best quality care, and there is a sense of trust, stability, and empowerment?
Purpose: Researchers have not studied the lived experience of nurse leaders to understand the influences that guide their success. This qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 12 influential nurse leaders from the state of Arizona to understand the influences of successful nurse leaders.
Research Questions:
RQ1: How do nurse leaders in Arizona make meaning of their leadership experience?
RQ2: How do nurse leaders prepare themselves for leadership roles in nursing?
Methodology: The use of a phenomenological approach was chosen for this study. Transformational leadership theory provided the underlying framework for the study. Face to face 60-90 minute interviews were conducted using 20 open ended questions. The semi-structured interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for similarities among the experiences.
Description of participants: The qualifications to participate in this study were that participants must have been an RN for at least 2 years and in a leadership position for at least 2 years. The leadership position could be the first line of leadership as a charge nurse or lead nurse to that of an executive leader. The nurse leaders were chosen by purposeful sampling.
Conclusions:Six themes emerged: have and use your voice; take leadership on the “walk”; invest in yourself and others; you own the culture; development of own style; and mentoring, teaching, and coaching. The data analysis led to the development of six themes with subthemes for each that may be adopted for further development of leadership competencies, development of healthy work environments, and leadership programs for transitioning nurse leaders.
Implications or Significance: The development of nurse leaders to be highly skilled in acute care settings are desired, but the ability to affect the health care of the United States through public policy by addressing equity of health and health care is greater. This study may be used for positive social change to transform the work environments of patient care, to develop health policy, and to affect patient outcomes.
Description
This research presentation is a phenomenological study of 12 nurse leaders from the state of Arizona. They shared their lived experiences of success, creating a healthy work environment and culture, and what experiences were most influential in developing their leadership style and success.