What Is Transformational Leadership in Nursing?
Written by:
University of Tulsa
• Dec 11, 2025
Transformational leadership — which allows leaders to create a supportive and trusting working environment — is vital to employee morale at any health care organization, but it also can have a significant effect on patients. According to a 2023 study published in the journal Nursing Reports, health care leaders who can implement a transformational leadership style can improve the overall health care experience of patients and strengthen their safety.
Because nurses are the foundation of our health care system, exercising transformational leadership in nursing is particularly important for nurses and the patients they serve. Anyone considering enrolling in an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program with the goal of progressing into leadership roles can benefit from learning about transformational leadership and its effect on the nursing profession and health care.
The Definition and Importance of Transformational Leadership in Nursing
Forming an understanding of transformational leadership in nursing is the first step toward putting it into action. At a high level, transformational leadership is a leadership style in which leaders actively work to promote a supportive environment. This motivates people to excel, work cooperatively, and develop solutions.
Behaviors of Transformational Leadership in Nursing
Nurse leaders who exercise transformational leadership demonstrate this style of leadership in several ways, including the following:
-
Communicating Their Vision: Nurse leaders need to communicate their vision to the people they supervise and explain how the vision will affect their organization. Setting clear goals and expectations is also a key part of communicating a vision.
-
Cultivating an Environment of Trust: Establishing clear lines of communication, encouraging staff to voice their concerns, and fostering respect among staff can help nurse leaders build strong bonds of trust among employees.
-
Creating a Supportive Atmosphere for Employees: To help staff feel better supported, nurse leaders can provide staff with resources, encourage them to maintain a strong work-life balance, and support their mental health needs.
-
Remaining Open to Ideas for Improvement: Nurse leaders need to ensure that employees feel empowered to express their ideas for strengthening a health care organization. Instilling a sense of collaboration and encouraging staff to seek opportunities for improvement can strengthen both the nurse working environment and the quality of care that patients receive.
-
Leading by Example: Transformational leaders in nursing can motivate employees by following their own advice, consistently performing all duties to the best of their ability, and striving to exceed expectations for their roles.
Why Transformational Leadership Is Critical in Nursing
Exercising transformational leadership in nursing has the potential to result in a wide range of benefits, including the following:
-
Reduces burnout and turnover among nursing staff
-
Allows nursing staff to become more resilient and feel more engaged in their work
-
Introduces a sense of pride among nursing staff and encourages staff members to take accountability for their work
-
Helps nurse leaders identify the types of guidance that each member of a nursing staff needs
-
Educates nurses about effective leadership practices that they can use when they progress into leadership roles
-
Strengthens the satisfaction, safety, and overall health care experience of patients
How Transformational Leadership Can Help Nurse Leaders and Spur Career Advancement
While transformational leadership benefits health care organizations, nursing staff, and patients, nurse leaders can also derive benefits from this leadership approach.
What Nurse Leaders Gain by Exercising Transformational Leadership
Using a transformational leadership approach can allow nurse leaders to do the following:
-
Identify new ways to address challenges and solve problems
-
Reduce costs associated with staff turnover
-
Decrease conflicts among staff
-
Gain a better awareness of practices that may need to change
-
Strengthen their ability to mentor staff
-
Improve their capacity to manage change
How Exercising Transformational Leadership Can Help Nurses Progress in Their Careers
Employing transformational leadership can also help nurses enhance and expand their skills. This can position them for roles in advanced nursing practice and help them progress in their careers. For example, it can demonstrate to current or potential employers that they possess the following qualities:
-
Have specific leadership skills that can help an organization achieve its objectives
-
Are innovators who can motivate teams to work toward goals and continue to improve processes
-
Have the ability to transform the culture of an organization and strengthen employee morale
-
Can increase employees’ sense of commitment to the success of an organization
-
Know how to motivate employees to strengthen the quality of patient care
-
Have the ability to improve operations to enhance a health care organization’s overall reputation
Earning a Master of Science in Nursing Can Strengthen Transformational Leadership Skills
Enrolling in an MSN degree program can help nurses enhance their ability to provide transformational leadership. The value of an MSN program lies not only in the advanced clinical skills that nurses can acquire but also in the opportunities these programs offer for nurses to enhance their leadership expertise.
Students in MSN programs take courses that allow them to expand their leadership skills in several ways. For example, they can take courses in subjects such as the following:
-
Leadership and Management: Students strengthen their skills in areas such as managing teams, monitoring performance, and leading a transformational health care system.
-
Advanced Nursing Theories and Trends: Students enhance their understanding of the various facets of nursing leadership.
-
Health Care Policy: Students receive knowledge and skills in many aspects of health care that can inform their approach to nursing leadership.
-
Nursing Innovation: Students use tools, resources, and strategies to promote innovation and improvement in nursing practice.
-
Health Care Human Resources Management: Nurses expand their knowledge of the nonclinical aspects of leadership in health care.
Transformational Leadership in Nursing Can Be Key to a Health Care Organization’s Success
Overseeing nurses using a transformational leadership approach can help nurse leaders keep nursing staff engaged and motivate nurses to perform at their highest levels. Implementing transformational leadership in nursing can be a critical factor in achieving any health care organization’s goals.
Nurses who want to advance their expertise in leadership can explore the online MSN program at The University of Tulsa to learn how it can help them achieve their career goals. Offering specialty tracks in Leadership and Innovation, Education and Elevation, and Public Health Global Vision, the program can establish the foundation for career advancement and place nurses on the path to the leadership roles they seek.
Embark on your journey toward advanced nursing education today.
Recommended Readings
8 Technical Skills in Nursing Leadership
How Leaders Drive Quality Improvement in Nursing
Types of Nurse Leadership Roles You Can Pursue With an MSN
Sources:
American Nurses Association, Leadership in Nursing: Qualities & Why It Matters
American Nurses Association, What Is Transformational Leadership in Nursing?
Cleveland Clinic, “Creating a Team Built on Trust and Transparency”
Nurse Leader, “The Global Power of Transformational Leadership in Nursing and Midwifery”
Relias, “Characteristics and Examples of Transformational Leadership in Nursing”
