Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Lee Lee

Abstract

Experts expect a shortage of more than 900,000 nurses by 2022, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections. Turnover in nursing contributes significantly to the shortage and often results from poor leadership of nurse managers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate how servant leadership behaviors affected the psychological state and behavioral response of staff nurses as reflected by job satisfaction and turnover intention. Specifically, the research question addressed whether servant leadership positively contributes to the psychological states and the behaviors of staff nurses leading to greater job satisfaction. The study design was correlational, nonexperimental, and cross-sectional. Use of a questions from existing surveys combined into a single survey, from 284 staff nurses at a Pennsylvania hospital, provided the data for the research. Correlation analysis determined the strength and direction of servant leadership constructs and the dependent variables of turnover intention and job satisfaction. Multiple linear regression analysis predicted the influence of job satisfaction and turnover intention, demonstrating a strong, positive correlation linking servant leadership behaviors, the psychological state of engagement and job satisfaction. The study contributed to filling the gap in health care management by providing a picture of how servant leadership behaviors influenced job satisfaction and retention of nursing staff. Implications for positive social change may lead hospital administrators to encourage the adoption of servant leadership behaviors, by nurse managers, resulting in greater staff nurse job satisfaction, improved patient quality outcomes, sustainable organizational financial success, and expanded community health.

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