A study of assertiveness levels and leadership characteristics of nurses

Title: A Study of Assertiveness Levels and Leadership Characteristics of Nurses Objective: The present study intended to examine the assertiveness levels and leadership characteristics of nurses. Method: The research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The research was conducted in three hospitals in Eskişehir province. The sample of the study consisted of 367 nurses who agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected between January 2021 and May 2022 using Personal Information Form, Leadership Orientations Scale and Self-Determination (Confidence) Scale. The data were analyzed using parametric tests. Findings: 86.9% of the nurses participating in the study were female, 36.0% were 42 years of age or older, and 72.4% were undergraduate graduates. Nurses who participated in scientific programs, received assertiveness and leadership training, loved their profession and had postgraduate education had higher mean scores across all sub-dimensions of the leadership tendencies scale compared to the others (p<0.05). The mean score from the timid sub-dimension of the self-determination scale of nurses who participated in scientific programs, received assertiveness and leadership training, liked their profession and had postgraduate education was lower than that of others (p<0.05). Conclusion: Nurses who participated in scientific programs, received assertiveness and leadership training and enjoyed their profession exhibited leadership characteristics more, were able to utilize each of the leadership tendencies more effectively owing to their educational status, and also exhibited assertiveness characteristics more. Keywords: assertiveness, leadership, nursing