The Impact of the Perceived Nursing Leaders’ Authentic Leadership on Hospital Nurses’ General Self-Efficacy, Job Satisfaction, and Intent to Stay

Introduction The current healthcare environment is very complex; thus, a healthy work environment is needed to ensure nurses’ job satisfaction and retention. Also, improving nurses’ self-efficacy became a mandate in light of the increased stressful demands of the nursing profession; therefore, implementing an effective leadership style, such as authentic leadership, has become essential because of its positive influence on various nursing outcomes. Thus, this study investigated the impact of the perceived nursing leaders’ authentic leadership on the perceived hospital nurses’ general self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and intent to stay at work. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, and a non-random convenience sample of 295 nurses who were working at the hospitals was recruited. The study period extended from the 1st of September to the 6th of October 2022. Results Hospital nurses perceived that their leaders had a moderate level of authentic leadership. The nurses perceived themselves as having sufficient general self-efficacy. They were moderately satisfied with a moderate level of intent to stay at work. Furthermore, nurses who perceived their leaders as authentic leaders had higher general self-efficacy, were more satisfied and had higher intent to stay at work than nurses who perceived their managers as non-authentic. Moreover, nurses who perceived a high sense of general self-efficacy intended to stay longer at work than their counterparts ( r = .335, P < .01), and those who were satisfied at work reported higher general self-efficacy and intended to stay longer at work than less satisfied nurses. In addition, there were significant differences in the perceived nursing leaders’ authentic leadership based on educational level, shift type, and the type of hospital. Conclusion Higher levels of self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and intent to stay at their work were all demonstrated by nurses who thought their leaders were authentic. This high level indicates that the way leaders lead significantly influences nurses’ workplace experiences and long-term commitment. Contextual differences in leadership perception highlight the need for tailored leadership development programs that address the unique challenges of various healthcare settings.