Integrity links ethics and efficiency in nursing leadership: Nurse leaders’ views

TL;DR

This study explores how nurse leaders view integrity as a way to connect ethical behavior with efficient care in healthcare settings.

Contribution

The study introduces a new perspective on integrity as a bridge between ethics and efficiency in nursing leadership.

Findings

Integrity is viewed as a core part of ethical leadership in nursing.

Nurse leaders believe integrity is shaped by personal values and work experience.

Integrity helps combine ethical values with efficient, knowledge-based leadership.

Abstract

Today’s healthcare organizations are organized to provide effective, efficient care that yields good patient outcomes. Healthcare leaders must be capable of engaging in both leadership relevant to human relationships and the management of processes.

The aim of this study was to explore nurse leaders’ perceptions of integrity in enhancing nursing leadership that is both effective and ethical.

A qualitative exploratory design with qualitative content analysis as method was undertaken, including multistage focus group interviews with 9 nurse leaders in a hospital setting.

The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity and the Declaration of Helsinki.

One main category and three subcategories were seen. The main category was “Integrity links ethics and efficiency”.

Integrity was seen as a part of ethical leadership. Integrity was also seen as nurse leaders’ values shaped by personality and work experience. To lead with efficiency was seen as part of knowledge-based leadership.

Integrity allows nurse leaders to interweave ethical values and efficiency, thereby realizing nursing leadership that is ethical and effective and leading to care that is of good quality.