title: The effects of intervention based on supportive leadership behaviour on Iranian nursing leadership performance: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of a workshop on supportive leadership behaviour (SLB) on the performance of head nurses, using a randomized controlled trial design.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The effect of transformational leadership on SLB in nursing management is emphasised.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 110 head nurses working at university hospitals were included randomly in two control and intervention groups. The head nurses in the intervention group participated in supportive leadership training, but the control group did not. Performance in supportive leadership was assessed with a validated instrument, which six subordinates used to assess their head nurse (n = 731).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference in SLB scores from baseline to the 3 month follow-up (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the post-intervention scores were significantly higher in the intervention group, compared with the control group (P < 0.0001). The results showed that in the intervention group, the effect sizes were greater for males (50%) than for females (36%) and greater for married participants (42%) than for single participants (37%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The workshop on supportive leadership behaviour, particularly the interactive multifaceted training, improved the leadership performance of the head nurses who participated in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health policy decision makers should apply SLB, which is a significant leadership style, to improve the outcomes in other groups of health-care management, such as physicians. Future studies are needed to investigate the effects of such workshops in longer periods of follow up.
authors.affiliation: Educational Development Centre (EDC), Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|LIME Department, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirazi
authors.affiliation: Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Hossein
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Emami
authors.affiliation: Sabzevar University, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Jamal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mirmoosavi
authors.affiliation: North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences-Bojnurd, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavinia
authors.affiliation: Qom University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zamanian
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Faezeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fathollahbeigi
authors.affiliation: Director Klinicum, Soder Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Masiello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory; D000066477:Work Performance / Q000193:education*
keywords: nursing; randomised controlled trial; supportive leadership; training