Healthcare-associated infections and nursing leadership: A systematic review.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections are strictly related to healthcare practices. A head nurse stimulates and motivates nurses, boosts nurses' job performance and satisfaction, and can influence adverse event development.

Aim: To explore the relationship between healthcare-associated infections and head nurse leadership style.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted. The search was conducted from 1973 until March 2022 on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, and APA PsycInfo databases. The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A thematic synthesis and critical appraisal of the included studies have been conducted.

Results: Eight articles were included in this review. Head nurses' leadership, supported by the organization, can positively influence the job performance and job satisfaction of nurses by reducing infection rates associated with vascular access and urinary catheters.

Discussion: Authentic and transformational nurse leadership styles can foster targeted interventions and improvements tailored to preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infections. Even if there is limited evidence, the results support that the occurrence of infections can be reduced by leadership strategies implemented by head nurses.