Competências gerenciais na enfermagem baseadas em evidências à luz do modelo de Liderança Situacional

Abstract

Leadership is characterized as the ability to influence others to recognize and release their potential in order to achieve goals. It is a fundamental competence for nurses for excellence in care. Competences are understood to be a mechanism that supports healthcare professionals in providing quality and safe care. Through Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), nurses can lead more effectively. The study aimed to analyze managerial competencies and EBP in the situational leadership process of nurses. This is a mixed-methods research, using the concomitant triangulation technique. The study was carried out in two hospitals in the interior of the state of Bahia, with the participation of 42 nurses. A sociodemographic questionnaire and a questionnaire on managerial competencies were applied (Felício et al., 2007) consisting of 48 items related to the roles of the leaders proposed in the competitive values model (Quinn et al., 2003) which are: mentor, director, producer, facilitator, monitor, innovator, negotiator and coordinator, evaluated through a 7-point Likert scale. An interview was conducted to learn about the characteristics and leadership styles used by them, and to relate them to Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership model, and information about the use of EBP. The qualitative data were treated through the Content Analysis proposed by Bardin (2016). Quantitative data underwent descriptive and analytical statistical analysis, the Shapiro-Wilk and Mann-Whitney tests were applied, and Microsoft Excel, Python and R software were used. The participants understood leadership as an essential competence for the professional practice of nurses, through which nurses direct their work process and lead their team to achieve objectives. Participants demonstrated that they adopt the four leadership styles of the Situational Leadership model (direction, guidance, support, and delegation). However, they are still unable to perceive their substantial role in management processes, therefore, it is recommended to invest in the training process from graduation and in permanent and continuing education, with a view to the development of managerial skills, and a more critical training that is closer to the work reality. Such investment can translate into more satisfied professionals, higher quality nursing care and stronger leadership. Regarding managerial competencies, in general, good scores were presented, with averages between 4.7 and 6.3. The highest scores were: interpersonal communication skills, concern for the team, and promotion of a collaborative work environment by managers, related to the roles of Mentor and Producer Leaders. It can be stated that managerial competencies, with emphasis on situational leadership and EBP, become interdependent competencies, which should be developed by nurses to ensure quality health care and increase nurses' autonomy and professional recognition.