Leadership conceptions of nurses and physicians in emergency care: A scoping review

Andrew Rixon; Elizabeth Elder; Claudia Bull; Julia Crilly Oam; Christina Østervan; Hayley Frieslich; Shaun Robertson; Ed Pink; Samuel Wilson

doi:10.1016/j.ienj.2024.101454

Leadership conceptions of nurses and physicians in emergency care: A scoping review

Int Emerg Nurs. 2024 Apr 26:74:101454. doi: 10.1016/j.ienj.2024.101454. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Andrew Rixon¹, Elizabeth Elder², Claudia Bull³, Julia Crilly Oam⁴, Christina Østervan⁵, Hayley Frieslich⁶, Shaun Robertson⁶, Ed Pink⁷, Samuel Wilson⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Business Strategy and Innovation - Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: a.rixon@griffith.edu.au.
² Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
³ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ Department of Emergency Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
⁶ Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁷ QEII Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ Department of Management and Marketing, Swinburne Business School, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.

PMID: 38677058
DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2024.101454

Abstract

Background: The Emergency Department (ED) is a setting where teamwork and leadership is imperative, however, the literature to date is mostly discipline (nursing or medical) specific. This scoping review aimed to map what is known about nurses' and physicians' conceptions of leadership in the ED to understand similarities, differences, and opportunities for leadership development and research.

Method: Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute approach, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Guidelines, a systematic search of three electronic databases was performed. The Mixed Methods Assessment Tool was used for quality appraisal of included articles.

Results: In total, 37 articles were included. Four key findings emerged: 1) leadership was rarely explicitly defined; 2) nurse leaders tended to be characterised as agents of continuity whilst physician leaders tended to be characterised as agents of change and continuity; 3) the clarification of expectations from nurse leaders was more evident than expectations from physician leaders; and 4) leadership discourse tended to be traditional rather than contemporary.

Conclusion: Despite the proliferation of studies into ED nurse, physician and interprofessional leadership, opportunities exist to integrate learnings from other sectors to strengthen the development of current and next generation of ED leaders.

Keywords: Emergency departments; Leadership; Nurses; Physicians; Scoping literature review.