Table 1.
Characteristics of the Studies Included in the Review.
| Author (year), Country | Aim | Design, participants (sample size), setting | Variable measurement | Main outcomes | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Quesado et al., 2022), Portugal | To assess the correlation between transformational leadership and the level of satisfaction experienced by nurses within their teams. | Cross-sectional, nurses (n = 95), multiple health care settings | The Global Transformational Leadership Scale and the Group Satisfaction Scale | Job satisfaction | There was a significant correlation (r = .740, p = .000) indicating a strong positive relationship between transformational leadership (GTL) and nurses’ satisfaction with their teams (GSS). The presence of more transformational leadership behaviors was directly linked to higher levels of team satisfaction among nurses. |
| (Sahan & Terzioglu, 2022), Turkey | To examine how nurse managers and staff nurses perceive the transformational leadership style of nurse managers and assess the impact of this leadership style on the organizational commitment and job satisfaction of staff nurses. | Cross-sectional, 153 nurses (17 nurse managers and 136 staff nurses), 1 University hospital | The LPI: Self/observer (LPI-self/observer), the Organizational Commitment Scale and the Job Satisfaction Scale | Organizational commitment and job satisfaction | The transformational leadership practices implemented by nurse managers contributed to 9% of the overall organizational commitment (r = .299, R2 = .09, p < .001) and 24% of the overall job satisfaction among staff nurses (r = .488, R2 = .24, p < .001). |
| (Othman & Khrais, 2022), Jordan | The aim was to explore the correlation between transformational leadership, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment among nurses | Cross-sectional, registered nurses (n = 253), 2 governmental hospitals | The Global Transformational Leadership scale, job satisfaction survey, and Organizational Commitment Scale | Job satisfaction and organizational commitment | A significant and positive correlation was observed between transformational leadership and job satisfaction (r = .297, p = .000). Additionally, a positive relationship was found between TL and organizational commitment (r = .200, p = .001). |
| (Jankelová & Joniaková, 2021), Slovakia | To examine the connection between communication skills and the transformation style of first-line nurse managers management with the job satisfaction of nurses and to verify the influence of three moderators on the strength of this relationship | Descriptive cross-sectional, first line nurse managers (n = 132), 5 university hospitals | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, 5-point Likert scale | Job satisfaction | The findings point to the strong direct effects of communication skills and the transformational leadership style of first-line nurse managers on nurses’ job satisfaction (ß = 1.12, p < .05). |
| (Labrague et al., 2020), Philippines | To examine the influence of toxic and transformational leadership practices on nurses’ job satisfaction, psychological distress, absenteeism, and intent to leave the organization or the nursing profession | Cross-sectional, registered nurses (n = 770), 15 hospitals | The 7-item Global Transformational Leadership Scale, the six-item JSI. | Nurses’ job satisfaction, psychological distress, absenteeism and intent to leave the organization or the nursing profession | Transformational leadership predicted job satisfaction (r = .37, p < .001) and intent to leave the profession (r = −.08, p < .05). |
| (Albagawi, 2019), Saudi Arabia | To determine the relationship between the leadership styles of nurse managers and the job satisfaction of staff nurses in hospital settings | Descriptive correlational design, nurses (n = 184), 5 hospitals | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, 7-point Likert scale | Job satisfaction of staff nurses | The staff nurses’ level of job satisfaction slightly increased (r = .258, p = .000) while nurse managers demonstrated transformational leadership. |
| (Asif et al., 2019), Pakistan | To examine the relationships between transformational leadership, structural empowerment, job satisfaction, nurse-assessed adverse patient outcomes, and the quality of care. | Cross-sectional, registered nurse (n = 600), 17 government hospitals | The 7-item Global Transformational Leadership Scale | Quality of care and patient satisfaction | Transformational leadership is a crucial to improve quality of care, nurses’ job satisfaction (r = .43, p < .01) and minimize adverse patient outcomes |
| (Boamah et al., 2018), Canada | To investigate the effects of nurse managers’ transformational leadership behaviors on job satisfaction and patient safety outcomes | Cross-sectional, acute care nurses (n = 378), acute care hospitals across Ontario | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, the GJS questionnaire. | Job satisfaction and patient safety outcomes | Transformational leadership had a strong positive influence on workplace empowerment (β = 0.77, p < .001), which in turn increased nurses’ job satisfaction (β = 0.86, p < .001) and decreased the frequency of adverse patient outcomes (β = −0.35, p < .05). |
| (Morsiani et al., 2017), Italy | To describe staff nurses’ perceptions related to the leadership styles adopted by their nurse managers, identify which leadership style ensured job satisfaction in staff nurses and describe which nurse managers’ behavior should change. | Mixed method, staff nurse (n = 87 and 3 focus group), 3 acute hospitals | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater | Job satisfaction | A positive correlation emerged between staff nurses’ satisfaction and all dimensions of transformational leadership style. |
| (Abdelhafiz et al., 2016), Jordan | To explore how the leadership styles of nurse leaders affect job satisfaction among working nurses. | Cross -sectional, nurses (n = 200), 3 public hospitals, 3 private hospitals | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, 3-point Likert scale | Nurses’ job satisfaction | The increased development of transformational leadership behaviors increased nurses’ job satisfaction (r = .37, p < .001). |
| (Alshahrani & Baig, 2016), Saudi Arabia | To evaluate the effect of transformational and transactional leadership styles of head nurses on the job satisfaction of staff nurses in critical care units of a tertiary care hospital. | Cross-sectional, licensed nurses (n = 89), Critical care unit | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, 6-point scale | Staff nurses’ job satisfaction. | Nurses working under leaders with a transformational leadership style demonstrated higher job satisfaction (R2 = .176, p < .001. |
| (Brewer et al., 2016), USA | To examine the effect of transformational leadership on early career nurses’ intent to stay, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. | Cross-sectional, registered nurse (n = 1037), 51 metropolitan statistical areas and 9 rural areas in 34 US States and the District of Columbia | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, 5-point Likert scale | Intent to stay, job satisfaction and organizational commitment | Transformational leadership did not show a significant correlation with nurses’ intent to stay at job and job satisfaction, but significantly associated with organizational commitment |
| (Choi et al., 2016) Malaysia | To investigate the causal relationships among perceived transformational leadership, empowerment, and job satisfaction among nurses and medical assistants in | Cross-sectional, nursing staff (n = 200), 1 public and 1 private hospitals | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, 5-point Likert scale | Job satisfaction of medical assistants and nurses | Transformational leadership positively influences job satisfaction (R2 = .46, p < .01) among nurse staffs. |
| (Roberts-Turner et al., 2014), USA | To describe the relationship between pediatric RN-reported ratings of RN leadership characteristics (transformational and transactional leadership) and RN job satisfaction. The | Retrospective cross-sectional, pediatric RNs (n = 935), 1 hospital | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater, Job Satisfaction Scale | RN-job satisfaction | Transformational leadership style positively impacted RN's job satisfaction (β = 0.069, p = .002). |
| (Negussie & Demissie, 2013), Ethiopia | To investigate the relationship between leadership style of nurse managers and nurses’ job satisfaction | Nonexperimental correlation design (cross-sectional), nurses (n = 176), 1 University hospital | The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5× Short Rater | Job satisfaction | All the 5 dimensions of transformational leadership were found to be positively associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfactions. Intrinsic: Individual consideration (β = 0.35, p < .01), inspirational stimulation (β = 0.31, p < .01), intellectual Motive (β = 0.49, p < .01), idealized influence (attribute) (β = 0.29, p < .01), idealized influence (behavior) (β = 0.32, p < .01) and inspirational motive (β = 0.49, p < .01) Extrinsic: Idealized influence (attribute (β = 0.21, p < .05), idealized influence (behavior) (β = 0.19, p < .05), intellectual stimulation (β = 0.42, p < .05), inspirational motivation (β = 0.19, p < .05) and individual consideration (β = 0.17, p < .05)" |
| (Wang et al., 2012), China | To describe the relationship between the transformational leadership of nurse managers and job satisfaction among clinical Registered Nurses at a tertiary care hospital | Correlational cross -sectional, clinical Registered Nurses (n = 250), 1 tertiary hospital | The Chinese version of the Leadership Practice Inventory observer, NJSS | Job satisfaction | A positive correlation was recorded between the transformational leadership of nurse managers and job satisfaction (r = .556, p < .001). |
| (Abualrub & Alghamdi, 2012), Saudi Arabia | To examine the impact of leadership styles of nurse managers on Saudi nurses’ job satisfaction and their intent to stay at work. | Descriptive correlational design (cross-sectional), nurses (n = 302), 6 public hospitals | The MLQ-5×, Job Satisfaction Survey | Nurses’ job satisfaction | A significant moderate positive correlation was observed between the transformational leadership style and nurses’ job satisfaction (r = .45, p < .001) Those who were more satisfied with their jobs intended to stay at work. |
Notes: LPI = Leadership Practices Inventory; GJS = Global Job Satisfaction; JSI = Job Satisfaction Index; NJSS = Nurse Job Satisfaction Scale; MLQ = Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire.