title: Grace under fire: aesthetic leadership in clinical nursing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper reports the results of an online descriptive survey that sought to determine nurses' perceptions of aesthetic leadership among clinical leaders in nursing.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinical leadership has been identified as an essential component to ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality health care. Leadership has been increasingly linked in the literature to aesthetics. However, little consideration has been given to aesthetics in relation to clinical leadership in nursing.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mixed-method, online descriptive survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited via e-learning platforms and social media. A total of 66 surveys were completed, including 31 written accounts of aesthetic leadership in practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aesthetic leadership characteristics in clinical leaders most valued are support, communication and the approach taken to colleagues. Taking risks and challenging processes were least likely to be evident among effective clinical leaders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aesthetic leadership is multi-dimensional and a style of leadership to positively influence the clinical workplace. Support, effective communication and taking into consideration the feelings of colleagues are important dimensions of aesthetic leadership.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aesthetic leadership represents a way for clinical leaders to create and sustain a calm and positive clinical workplace.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mannix
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia.|Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Penrith, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilkes
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: aesthetic leadership; clinical leadership; mixed method; nurses; online survey