Relationship between leadership styles of nurse managers and nurses' job satisfaction in Jimma University Specialized Hospital

BACKGROUND: Job satisfaction is critical to retain and attracting well-qualified nurses in Hospitals. Leadership style of nurse managers play determinant' role in nurses' job satisfaction. However, there is no recent literature on nurses' leadership in the study area. The objective of this research was to investigate the Relationship between Leadership Styles of Nurse Managers and Nurses Job Satisfaction in Jimma University Specialized Hospital. METHOD: The study was conducted from January 2012 to June 2012 and used nonexperimental correlation design. All nurses who are full time, non supervisory management position, and working in the hospital during the study period were participated. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Minnesota satisfaction Questionnaire were used to collect the data from respondents. SPSS version16.0 statistical software was used to analyze the data. The results were analyzed in terms of descriptive statistics followed by inferential statistics on the variables. RESULTS: A total 175 questionnaires were returned from 186 questionnaires distributed to respondents. The result of the study indicated that nurses can distinguish transformational leadership style over transactional leadership style. All five dimensions of transformational leadership style statistically significant and positive relation with job satisfaction. Even if all four dimensions of transactional leadership style are statistically significant, only contingent reward dimension positively related with job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Nurses were satisfied towered the transformational leadership than transactional leadership style. Therefore, nurses' managers should use transformational leadership style in order to increase nurses' job satisfaction. KEYWORDS: Leadership, Nurses, Job satisfaction, Jimma University Specialized Hospital 11