| The concept of leadership has taken on a new meaning in the twenty-first century. Formerly understood as management and control, leadership now connotes influence. Interestingly, the existing nursing literature defines leadership within the context of those primarily in middle management and senior leadership positions; however, very little attention is focused on the leadership phenomenon of the frontline oncology nurse. In the oncology settings, in particular, there has been a proliferation in the demand for quality care; nurses are expected to display exemplary leadership in delivering superior cancer care within the health care system. These nurses are seen as advocates, collaborators, critical thinkers, and effective communicators, which are qualities commonly associated with exemplary leaders. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to identify the psychological elements and structure of the leadership phenomenon, based on detailed descriptions of the oncology nurses who have lived experiences with this phenomenon.;This study used a qualitative phenomenological methodology to collect and analyze the data. A sample of 14 oncology nurses from both the in-patient and out-patient setting was interviewed. The results produced 359 psychological meaning units. These were further reduced to 33 themes, which created the intersubjective general psychological meaning structure. The majority of the frontline oncology nurses see themselves as leaders and are able to demonstrate leadership in their daily practice. However, there are identified barriers that influence their ability to lead effectively. This study was important because it validates how nurses see themselves as leaders. It also challenges the existing literature, which provides a limited description of frontline nursing leadership. The recommendations were both practical and research focused; ongoing leadership development and more research in mentoring frontline oncology nurse leaders were among the recommendations. |
