A model for transformational leadership by nursing unit managers

D.Cur. (Professional Nursing Science)It was very dear that dramatic transformation is needed in the new South Africa to accommodate the transformation demanded by the Reconstruction and Development Programme, the National Health System, and other political, economic, social, technological and staff management changes. It was also evident that transformational leadership was needed in nursing in general and in nursing management in particular. This is a qualitative, contextual, exploratory, descriptive and theory-generating study, with the overall aim of exploring and describing a model for transformational Ieadershlp by nursing unit managers to facilitate individual and nursing unit transformation. To accomplish this aim, specific objectives were formulated. Firstly, a conceptual framework and model were explored and described by means of analysis, synthesis, derivation and deductive reasoning. The model was described within the meta theoretical assumptions of the Nursing for the Whole Person Theory (ORU 1990; RAU 1992). The theoretical assumptions were derived from till' Nursing for the Whole Person Theory whereas the methodological assumptions were based on the Nursing Research model of Botes (1995). This Nursing Research model proposed functional reasoning approach. During the exploration and description of the model, connect identification and classification were handled according Lo the survey list of Dickoff, james and Wiedenbach (1968). Thereafter, an education programme was explored and described by deriving the theoretical content on transformational leadership from the conceptual framework and LIl(' model. TIll' principles of adult education (Knowles 1984, Gravett 1991) and the constructivistic learning theory (Klopper 1994 (a» were utilised for the didactical development of the education programme. This education programme was then implemented in a nursing service. Through purposive sampling, four nursing unils in the same nursing service were selected and the model implemented for a period of 12-14 weeks. The cases Ludy method was utilised