The relationship between the authentic leadership of nurses and structural empowerment: a systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To verify the relationship between authentic leadership of nurses and structural empowerment. Method: This is a systematic review carried out at the Virtual Health Library on the Journal Portal of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Online System for the Search and Analysis of Medical Literature, Scientific Electronic Library Online and Science Direct/Embase, and consulted until April 2019. Studies with nurses, evidencing the relationship between authentic leadership and structural empowerment, published between 2012 and 2018 in Brazilian Portuguese, English or Spanish were included. Results: Five studies were included, with variables other than structural empowerment: job satisfaction, burnout, bulling, mental health, performance, social capital, working environment, nurse retention, and quality of care. Authentic leadership showed a positive relationship with structural empowerment, improving engagement and job satisfaction, reducing burnout and increasing quality of care. Conclusion: Health institutions, in addition to Canada, where researchers on this topic are located, can invest in authentic leadership to improve structural empowerment by providing greater commitment from nurses, increased job satisfaction and quality of care provided.