Characteristics of Leadership Competency in Nurse Managers: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Aim. Identify the characteristics of leadership competency for the nurse manager and describe the most cited leadership styles in the literature. Background. Leadership is a fundamental competency for nurse managers, as it plays an important role in the healthcare environment to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and promote people-centered organizations. Therefore, understanding the characteristics of leadership and the leadership style to be employed is important. Methods. A scoping review was conducted from January 2009 to January 2024 using the design of González Garcia et al., the Arksey and O’Malley framework, and databases including Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Articles reporting on the characteristics of leadership for nurse managers were reviewed. The authors performed the review based on a search syntax, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the data extraction process. Results. Sixty-two studies were included in the final review. The review identified 38 characteristics related to leadership competency, among which we highlighted caring for nurses as individuals, being a visionary, knowledgeable, a change agent, and a communicator. This review highlights the prevalence of transformational leadership, which constitutes 69.57% of the leadership styles cited, and underscores its pivotal role in improving the work environment, effectiveness in nursing care, conflict management, team commitment, and adaptability to change within healthcare settings. Conclusions. The most commonly cited characteristics of leadership include caring for the team, effective communication, and a vision for change. Transformational, people-centered, and motivational leadership is the most appropriate style. Implications for Nursing Management. The characterization of leadership competency will allow the development of training adapted to the current requirements for nursing leaders. This training could be developed in simulation and virtual reality environments. It also allows for a deeper understanding of how leadership competency affects teams and their functioning.