| Summary: | The purpose of this study is to describe the leadership behaviors of head nurses and compare them with the perceptions of their direct employees (nurses). The study also aims to determine the various components of leadership that have an impact on job satisfaction. Using descriptive, inferential and correlational analysis, the study was conducted in two hospitals. All nurses with either management or care duties were invited to participate, with the exception of those who work in the operating blocks and outpatient units. The final sample was comprised of 266 individuals, including 22 head nurses and 244 staff nurses. The questionnaire was organized into three sections (1) Sample characterization; (2) Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability Description (LEAD), with 12 questions to determine the components of situational leadership; and (3) Professional Satisfaction Indicator (PSI), consisting of 30 questions that identified the satisfaction level among respondents. Data were collected in May 2009. In both groups, the most expressive leadership styles, dominant and alternative, were the S2 (persuading) and S3 (sharing). Head nurses and staff both had relatively low levels of job satisfaction, although head nurses were generally more satisfied than staff nurses.
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