Examination of the dark leadership perception of nurses working in health institutions

This study was conducted to evaluate nurses' perceptions of dark leadership behaviors exhibited by their supervisors in healthcare institutions. In today's working life, leadership styles are increasingly recognized as influential factors on employee satisfaction and social well-being, making this topic particularly relevant for healthcare professionals. The study was carried out in 2024 with a total of 329 nurses working in a public hospital. Among the participants, 74.8% were female and 25.2% were male. Data were collected using the Workplace Dark Leadership Perception Scale, and analyzed using the NCSS 2020 statistical software. Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test, and Dunn post-hoc analysis were used to evaluate the findings. The scale included three sub-dimensions: harassing behaviors, insincere behaviors, and bullying behaviors. According to the results, 51.1% of the participants stated that dark leadership traits negatively affected their job satisfaction. In response to the question "Does your manager care about your professional development?", 57.4% said yes, 27.1% said sometimes, and 15.5% said no. Moreover, 47.4% reported that their manager's behaviors affected their social lives. It was also found that male nurses scored significantly higher than female nurses in all sub-dimensions and total scores of the scale (p<0.01). Those who believed that their manager did not support their development had significantly higher total scores (mean: 44.53±19.25). Variables such as educational status, marital status, and working schedule did not show statistically significant differences. In this study, it was observed that nurses' perceptions of dark leadership behaviors not only impacted the workplace but also extended into their personal and social lives. These findings highlight the importance of promoting ethical and supportive leadership practices in healthcare settings.