Sustaining the nursing workforce through transformational leadership: a Tasmanian perspective

<p><strong>Objective</strong>: To identify strengths and opportunities for transformational leadership (FL) development in the Tasmanian Health Service (THS) nurse and midwife managers (NMMs).</p> <p><strong>Background:</strong> Healthcare organisations face a dwindling nursing workforce by high turnover and ageing. TL is a developmental relationship-focused leadership style and offers ways to surmount such challenges based on positive empirical outcomes.</p> <p><strong>Methods: </strong> TL was measured using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-6S). Responses were analysed with the one-way ANO VA to identify any statistically significant associations. Overall MLQ scores.from this study were compared with previous studies undertaken in similar contexts.</p> <p><strong>Result: </strong> NHMs reported TL as their primary leadership style. Statistical significance was found between specific TL elements and NMMs' education, age and gender. The comparison of MLQ scores revealed strengths and development opportunities in the NMMs.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> Health organisations may benefit from the practise of TL, informed by empirical measurements of TL using the MLQ, to overcome nursing workforce shortage.</p>