title: Influence of leadership on quality nursing care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which nursing leadership, perceived by nursing staff, influences nursing quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected between August and October 2011 in a Portuguese health center via a questionnaire completed by nurses. Our original sample included 283 employees; 184 questionnaires were received (65% response).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The theoretical model presents reasonably satisfactory fit indices (values above literature reference). Path analysis between latent constructs clearly suggests that nursing leadership has a direct (beta = 0.724) and statistically significant (p = 0.007) effect on nursing quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results reinforce several ideas propagated throughout the literature, which suggests the relationship's relevance, but lacks empirical support, which this study corrects.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Maria de Jesus José Gil
authors.initials: Mde J
authors.lastname: Fradique
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009729:Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results