Relation between Exploitative Leadership and Nurses’ Work Alienation: The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Lecturers of Nursing Administration - Faculty of Nursing – Zagazig University

2 Assist professor of Nursing Administration- Faculty of Nursing – Zagazig University

Abstract

Background: The leadership style used by organizations is one of the most important factors influencing its success or failure. The leader can drive shared vision to followers to empower them for learning and development. On the other side, destructive leadership especially exploitative leadership can produce negative influence on nurses’ behaviors and morals. Aim of the study: to investigate the relationship between exploitative leadership, nurses’ work alienation, and moral disengagement. Subjects and methods: A stratified random sample of 382 nurses working in Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt. This study used a descriptive correlational design; three tools were used to collect the data; Exploitative leadership scale, work alienation scale, and moral disengagement scale.  Results: revealed that 78.6% of studied nurses had a high perception level of exploitative leadership. More than half of nurses (54.7%) demonstrated moderate level of work alienation and 52.4% of nurses had a moderate level of moral disengagement. Conclusion: Exploitative leadership was significantly and positively correlated to work alienation, and moral disengagement. Recommendations: Encouraging and enhancing professional behavior of nurse managers and supervisors away from exploitative leadership behavior.

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