The impact of nursing leadership on patient safety in a developing country

Aim. This article is a report of a study to identify the ways nursing leaders and managers in a developing country have an impact on patient safety. Background. The attempt to address the problem of patient safety in health care is a global issue. Literature addressing the significant impact that nursing leadership has on patient safety is extensive and focuses almost exclusively on the developed world. Design. A critical ethnography was conducted with senior registered nursing leaders and managers throughout the Fiji Islands, specifically those in the Head Office of the Fiji Ministry of Health and the most senior nurse in a hospital or community health service. Method. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with senior nursing leaders and managers in Fiji. Thematic analysis of the interviews was undertaken from a critical theory perspective, with reference to the macro socio‐political system of the Fiji Ministry of Health. Results. Four interrelated issues regarding the nursing leaders and managers’ impact on patient safety emerged from the study. Empowerment of nursing leaders and managers, an increased focus on the patient, the necessity to explore conditions for front‐line nurses and the direct relationship between improved nursing conditions and increased patient safety mirrored literature from developed countries. Conclusion. The findings have significant implications for developing countries and it is crucial that support for patient safety in developing countries become a focus for the international nursing community. Relevance to clinical practice. Nursing leaders and managers’ increased focus on their own place in the hierarchy of the health care system and on nursing conditions as these affect patient safety could decrease adverse patient outcomes. The findings could assist the global nursing community to better support developing countries in pursuing a patient safety agenda.