The Relationship Between Leadership Styles and Psychological Job Indicators in Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Abstract

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses experience high levels of occupational stress. There is limited evidence on how leadership styles influence resilience, professional ethics, and emotional exhaustion among ICU nurses in Iranian teaching hospitals, highlighting the need for context-specific research. Objectives: The study aims to examine the relationship between leadership styles and psychological job indicators among ICU nurses. Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using census sampling, including 215 ICU nurses from teaching hospitals affiliated with Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran (2024). Data were collected using the Hersey and Blanchard Leadership Style Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Caduzier Professional Ethics Questionnaire, and the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Statistical analyses comprised independent t-tests, Pearson correlations, and multivariate regression models, all adjusted for demographic variables. Results: The predominant leadership style was “participating” (36%). Mean scores indicated relatively high resilience and professional ethics, alongside elevated emotional exhaustion (68.53 ± 9.19, 63.14 ± 4.25, and 68.35 ± 8.41, respectively). Regression analysis revealed that resilience (β = 0.119, P = 0.011) and professional ethics (β = 0.091, P = 0.034) were significantly associated with leadership style, while emotional exhaustion was not (P > 0.05). Leadership styles varied significantly by gender (P = 0.049), marital status (P = 0.009), and job position (P = 0.017). Conclusions: Participative leadership styles may enhance resilience and professional ethics among ICU nurses, even in high-stress environments. Strengthening supportive leadership within healthcare organizations could help build psychological resources, foster ethical practice, and improve the quality of care.