title: Impact of transformational leadership on nurse work outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of transformational leadership on early career nurses' intent to stay, job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Lack of leadership support is one of the top reasons staff nurses leave. Current studies reported mixed results about the impact of transformational leadership on key nurse outcomes. However, little is known whether leadership directly or indirectly affects satisfaction, organizational commitment and intent to stay.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a cross-sectional study of nurses who had been licensed for 7·5-8·5 years which was part of a 10-year longitudinal panel design.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analytic sample was 1037 nationally representative newly licensed Registered Nurses. Data were collected from January-March 2013. We used a probit model to model the relationship between transformational leadership and intent to stay, organizational commitment and job satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transformational leadership did not have a significant impact on intent to stay and job satisfaction, but significantly associated with organizational commitment. Organizational commitment, job satisfaction, mentor support, promotional opportunities and age were positively associated with intent to stay, while ethnicity, non-local job opportunities and work settings were negatively associated with intent to stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transformational leadership had no direct relationship with intent to stay and job satisfaction and had a small direct positive effect on organizational commitment. Transformational leadership has potential to slow attrition and retain nurses by creating a positive work environment that supports nurses. Any improvement in job satisfaction and organizational commitment would positively increase the change in probability for intent to stay.
authors.affiliation: University at Buffalo School of Nursing, New York, USA. csbrewer@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.affiliation: Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Christine T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Kovner
authors.affiliation: Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djukic
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Farida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fatehi
authors.affiliation: Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Chacko
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University at Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007857:Leadership; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: intent to stay; job satisfaction; nurses; nursing; organizational commitment; outcomes; retention; transformational leadership; work environment