Leadership in nursing homes – impact on quality of care, job satisfaction and costs (completed)

About the project

The first part of the study will describe the kinds of leadership that exist in Norwegian nursing homes. What is their nature? What are the most common types of leadership? What is the relationship between organizational forms and leadership in Norwegian nursing homes?

Quality and job satisfaction in Norwegian nursing homes will then be evaluated. Are some types of leadership more efficient and effective in creating quality for patients and job satisfaction among employees?

Furthermore, the cost per patient will be assessed by looking closely at account details. We will link the cost per patient to the different types of leadership to further investigate whether there are any associations between leadership and costs. Are some types of leadership more suitable in order to reduce the costs – and if so, why?

Finally, the study will carry out an aggregate analysis exploring the relationship among all four main variables: leadership, quality, job satisfaction and cost.

Objectives

The aim of the project, "Leadership in nursing homes – impact on quality of care, job satisfaction and costs" is to describe the kinds of leadership that exist in Norwegian nursing homes and evaluate quality, job satisfaction and cost per patient. The study will carry out an aggregate analysis exploring the relationship between all four main variables. This project is a sub-project in the research programme "Studies in Quality and Cost for the Elderly" which aims to provide knowledge of future challenges in long-term care.

Background

Only limited research has been carried out on nursing homes in Norway. Most of this work has focused on measuring quality (Slagsvold 1995) or on health problems and care needs among nursing home residents (Romøren 2003). Brevik (2003) states that the Norwegian long-term care sector lacks general knowledge of operational issues and management. Earlier Norwegian studies indicate that certain types of leadership may be more suited for promoting the quality of care, job satisfaction and efficient operation (Paulsen et al. 2004, Nygård 2002, Harsvik et al. 2002, Moland et al. 2002). However, to date no systematic empirical research has been undertaken analysing the connections between these factors and leadership. Filling some of these gaps is the primary aim of this study.

Financing

Norges Forskningsråd (The Research Council of Norway)

Publications

Havig, Skogstad, Kjekshus, Romøren (2011): Leadership, staffing and quality of care in nursing homes, BMC Health Services Resarch, 11, 327

Havig, Skogstad, Veenstra, Romøren (2011): The effects of leadership and ward factors on job satisfaction in nursing homes: a multilevel approach, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20, 23-24, p. 3532-3542.

Start - Finish

2008.10.01 - 2012.09.30