Nursing leadership competency learning- an integrative review

In the last decade literature, inquiries and reports into the short comings in health services have highlighted the vital role of leadership in clinical practice and the impact on patient care and effective workplace culture. Given the important role of nurses as the largest therapeutic group in health systems, the question is how nurses acquire clinical leadership abilities? and what is the situation in our country?This study has reviewed related literature.

In this review paper, the databases such as Science Direct, ProQuest, PubMed and Scopus databases, Emerald and Google Scholar search engine and also the Scientific Information Database and Magiran databases for Iranian articles searched for valid English and Persian articles from 2008 to 2018 using keywords combination of keywords such as “nurses leadership competency” in 2019. After reviewing the papers24 relevant cases were selected.

In the first phase, 136 articles were selected and after careful examination, 24 papers were approved at the final stage, it was found that education and leadership development is the most important factor for gaining managerial competencies for nurses. Also, the status of teaching leadership skills for nursing in Iran has a weak position. Because there are no plans for leadership skills training either in the educational curriculum or after graduation.

 It is imperative nursing managers and planners need to revise the current curriculum incorporate leadership training. Also, in the post-graduation period in continuing education, the courses of applied management and leadership should be identified and trained according to the real problems of country's health systems.