Nurse performance: A path model of clinical leadership, creative team climate and structural empowerment

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to: (a) identify and examine the influence of clinical leadership, creative team climate (CTC) and structural empowerment (SE) on the nurse performance (NP) of clinical nurses in hospitals in Turkey, and (b) establish a model designed to verify the fit and effect of these factors. BACKGROUND: Nurse performance is a significant indicator of work efficiency, patient care quality and patient safety. Existing studies explaining the mechanisms that lead to higher nurse performance have been limited. DESIGN: This descriptive, cross-sectional study used relation prediction modelling and adhered to STROBE guidelines. METHODS: /df, GFI, AGFI, NFI, CFI, IFI, RFI, TLI, RMR and RMSEA. RESULTS: /df = 3.730, GFI = 0.904, AGFI = 0.892, NFI = 0.907, CFI = 0.923, IFI = 0.923, RFI = 0.906, TLI = 0.912, RMR = 0.078 and RMSEA = 0.064. Through creative team climate and structural empowerment, clinical leadership had the greatest standardised direct (β = .35) and indirect (β = .17) effects on clinical nurse performance, the final outcome variable. Creative team climate (β = .23) and structural empowerment (β = .19) also had a significant standardised direct effect on nurse performance. Clinical leadership, creative team climate and structural empowerment explained 39% of the total variance of nurse performance. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that clinical nurse performance in hospitals was significantly influenced by clinical leadership, creative team climate and structural empowerment. The results suggest that intervention programmes considering these factors could be implemented to enhance nurse performance. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Improved nurse performance requires strong clinical leadership, creative team climate and structural empowerment. Therefore, healthcare organisations may implement initiatives to enhance nurse performance by taking these factors into account.