Transformational Leadership and Staff Nurse Job Satisfaction in Rural Hospitals

Transformational leadership has been purported to be one of the most influential elements contributing to job satisfaction (Tracy, & Hinkin, 1998; Ross & Offermann 1997; Medley & LaRochelle, 1995); Fuller, Morrison, Jones, Bridger; & Brown, 1999; McDaniel & Wolf, 1992; Sofarelli & Brown, 1998; Morrison, Jones, & Fuller, 1997; Tacetta-Chapnick, 1996). The relationship between transformational leadership and staff nurse job satisfaction in rural hospitals was investigated using a quantitative, non-experimental descriptive-correlational research design. The sample was derived from 91 registered nurses, 22 responding (N= 22) working in 6 rural hospitals of 50 beds or less located throughout the north-central Kansas region. King's (1981) Theory of Goal Attainment was used to guide the investigation. Significance included the need for leaders with special skills to help change the attitudes of: a) management toward staff nurses, b) staff nurses toward management, and c) Staff nurses toward their profession. If transformational leadership qualities are shown to have a positive effect on staff nurse job satisfaction in rural hospitals, expenditures incurred by these hospitals, who are constantly orienting new nurses, should decrease, harmony between management and staff should increase, and job satisfaction should be the end result. Bass & Avolio's (1995) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) for both leaders and raters was used to measure transformational leadership. Stamps & Market Research, Inc. (1997) Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS) was used to measure staff nurse job satisfaction. Results were: Statistical analysis using Pearson's sample correlation coefficient was used to determine if a correlation existed between the means of the raters' results of the MLQ-5X and the means of the raters' results of the IWS. Data from seventeen raters (N=17) was used for the calculations. The value of the sample correlation coefficient was -0.12 (r = - 0.12). Therefore, according to the data, there is no relationship between the staff nurse's perception of their leaders’ transformational leadership style and the staff nurse's level of job satisfaction. Further research is recommended due to the low number of responses returned.