What Constitutes Effective Leadership?: Perceptions of Magnet and Nonmagnet Nurse Leaders

Magnet hospitals, so named because of their ability to attract and retain nurses, have been operating for nearly 20 years. Although research on their success, particularly related to job satisfaction and retention of nurses, is available, research on magnet nurse leader effectiveness has been limited to the pivotal role the nurse leader plays in supporting a magnet culture. To enhance the research groundwork in magnet hospitals and nursing leadership, 16 nurse leaders from magnet and nonmagnet hospitals were interviewed. They were asked to identify leadership qualities they considered valuable in today’s healthcare setting. The author contrasts the opinions of magnet and nonmagnet leaders relating to their leadership traits, organizational structures they discern as being supportive of professional nursing practice, and their perceptions of how a successful organization is created.