Nursing in Taiwan: Chinese philosophy impact on leadership styles and job satisfaction

Cultural values can affect leadership style and job satisfaction. Chinese cultural values may impact staff nurses' and nurse managers' expectations and perceptions of leadership in Taiwan. These expectations and perceptions may in turn affect nursing job satisfaction and intent to leave.; The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between leadership behavior and job satisfaction among nurses in a Chinese cultural context. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of how Chinese cultural values influence nurses' preferences and expectations of their nurse managers' leadership behaviors and management styles. It is necessary to satisfy nurses' needs in order to keep them in their jobs and to assess satisfaction in order inform managers and administrators.; A descriptive study compared nurse managers' self-assessment, staff nurses' assessment their Chinese values, leadership styles, and job satisfaction. The instruments used are a Demographic Data Questionnaire, Chinese Value Survey, Kang's Chinese Leadership Behaviors Scale, and McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale. Data were analyzed cultural values influence nurses' expectation and perception of nurse managers' leadership with job satisfaction.; Data analysis was from a convenience sample of 214 nurse managers and 2127 staff nurses who have worked with their nurse manager for at least one year in Taiwan from the northern, middle and southern part of Taiwan. One medical center and one regional teaching hospital were used from each area.; Positive and significant associations (r = .155 to r = .425) were found between cultural values, expectations and perceptions of leadership styles and job satisfaction. Chinese cultural value, and leadership styles explained 20.2% of the variance in nursing job satisfaction. Human connectedness and moral discipline of Chinese cultural values explained 10.6% variance in job satisfaction. Regarding nurse managers' perception of their own leadership behavior, the role of the mentor explained 23% variance in job satisfaction. Regarding staff nurses' perception of their nurse manager's leadership behavior, the role of the mentor and the role of the director explained 17.3% variance in job satisfaction.; In the final model, the stronger predictors for important aspects of job satisfaction are job position, intention to leave, working at outpatient department, human connectedness, moral discipline, and the role of the mentor. Managers and administrators could use this targeted information to reengineer the organization in which nurses work. The results of this study have identified important predictors and outcomes.