Transformational leadership to promote nurse practitioner practice in primary care.

AIM: This study investigated transformational leadership from the perspectives of primary care nurse practitioners.

BACKGROUND: The growing workforce of nurse practitioners in the United States could play a critical role in meeting the increasing demand for primary care. Little is known about how leadership within primary care practices could promote nurse-practitioner care. Transformational leadership is a widely recognized leadership style that affects clinician practice and outcomes.

METHOD: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from nurse practitioners in New York state in 2012. The online survey containing measures of nurse practitioners and leadership relationships was completed by 278 nurse practitioners.

RESULTS: The four factors of transformational leadership-idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration-were recognized by nurse practitioners. Almost half of nurse practitioners reported that leadership did not share information equally between nurse practitioners and physicians (idealized influence), and 45.9% reported that nurse practitioners were not represented on important organisational committees (intellectual stimulation).

CONCLUSION: Transformational leadership can be applied to promote nurse practitioner practice in primary care. Future research should explore how transformational leadership affects nurse practitioner care and outcomes.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Leaders in primary care practices should consider applying transformational leadership principles to promote nurse practitioner practice.