The Role of Servant Leadership in Improving Patient Outcomes and Staff Engagement in Healthcare

Introduction

Background

The Leadership style determines the aspects of the organization in attaining its objectives. Leadership is further considered as a compound and multidimensional concept covering interpersonal, intergroup, and situational variables. Servant leadership considered the philosophy that mandates the requirements of others, has exemplified profound traction regarding healthcare concerns because of its enlightened impact on outcomes proclaimed by the patients and the engagement of the staff (Bennett et al. 2020). Contrary to the previous practices of surmounting leadership that streamlines authority and hierarchy, servant leadership encourages traction of the culture related to empathy, coordination, and empowerment.

Research Rationale

The firm determination required growth and the betterment of the patients and healthcare professionals, servant leadership enlightens a culture of assistance that offers the engagement of the participants, development of the professional aspects, and crafting of ethical sets of decisions (Qin et al. 2023). The context will explore the phases where servant leadership meticulously influences the patient’s outcomes and engagement for the staff members (Horowitz et al. 2022). It enlightens the transitional approaches delved towards the delivery of the healthcare aspects through a potentially compassionate and inclusiveness approaches in pertaining the leadership styles. 

Research aim

The study is aimed at analyzing the influence servant leadership in patient outcomes in terms of quality of care and patient satisfaction in healthcare settings

Research Questions

How does servant leadership influence patient outcomes in terms of quality of care and patient satisfaction in healthcare settings?

Research Objectives

1. To examine the impact of servant leadership on patient care quality.
2. To assess how servant leadership influences patient satisfaction.
3. To investigate the role of servant leadership in enhancing staff engagement.
4. To identify the benefits of servant leadership in healthcare environments.

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Literature Review

As per Best 2020, the Traditional aspect of leadership is observed as the pursuit of power, status, and manipulative techniques, contrasting precisely with the principles of servant leadership. Deeply steamed upon Robert Greenleaf’s activity from 1970, servant leadership enhances the need for others to capitalize on operational tasks. Greenleaf depicted a servant leader as an individual who initializes with a potential aspect that offers, from there, which crafts to be conscious options to lead. The element that sets servant leadership apart from others is its firm determination towards qualities and a strong commitment to encourage the advancement of others. Servant leaders prioritize compassion, empathy, and a firm determination towards a moral compass, assisted by an extensive range of leadership skill sets that allow them to maintain overall effectiveness. It is noteworthy through Savel and Munro, that servant leadership surpasses leadership styles, as its philosophy and practice target the exemplified values often lives (Lister et al. 2021). It enhances organizational practices and generates more adjustable and caring societal approaches. The primary role of the servant leader is to pacify and formulate their learning approaches toward their members, aiding them to utilize their entire potential.

Another article reveals that in the appointment of healthcare environments, appointment leaders solely based on medical degrees or technical expertise is no longer sufficient. The complexity of modern healthcare, with its diversified areas, varied objectives, and the intricate dynamics of multidisciplinary teams, makes leadership a challenging task. Scholars suggest that servant leadership could act as the “ universal leadership language” particularly bounded upon the multicultural and overburdened healthcare setups. The aspects inclined with the prevalent circumstances of healthcare, crafting it with well configured to access the complexities associated with sectors. The rise in interest in the evolving segments in servant leadership within healthcare that transforms the concept remains restricted (Munn. 2024). A noticeable aspect regarding the direction of the review through Aij and Rapasaniosts is that scrutinizes the intersections that causes the alignment and servant leadership within the healthcare setups. It signifies that both frameworks uptake the promise of streamlining the delivery of high-quality care for patients. The background offers a determined foundation for a systematic review that targets determining fresh information regarding servant leadership within the healthcare segments.

As per an article by Hatlab, the system platform for the healthcare segment within Indonesian land provides generalized hospitals, including Undated Regional General Hospital in Palu, that encounter potential challenges, regarding the issues that involve unprofessional conduct and ill services, regarding the delivery of stemming from the detrimental performances.

Inclusion Criteria: Studies published between 2019 and 2024, focusing on servant leadership in healthcare, written in English, and involving empirical research or systematic reviews.

Exclusion Criteria: Articles not peer-reviewed, studies outside healthcare, and papers lacking full-text access.

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Methodology

Research approach

The research harnesses the potential of the inductive research approach, as the research work extensively depends upon the secondary sources of pieces of information. The inductive research approach is critical for generating the latest theories and information through the analysis of the patterns and meticulous observations, aiding in establishing an insightful understanding of complicated phenomena without the involvement of the preregistered hypotheses.

Research Design

The research unincorporated qualitative research design due to its reliance upon the secondary sources of data sets. The qualitative sources of data provide meticulous information regarding the research topic and streamline the work through the enhancement of its viability.

Research Philosophy

The interpretivism research philosophy enhances the comprehensive ability towards the meaning and the context behind behavior demonstrated by humans and social phenomenon. It undertakes the values of the experiences and interpretations, allowing the researchers to exemplify the complicated scenarios, and perspectives of the notions (Stanley. 2022). The approach is significant for gaining deep information regarding the extent to which the individuals undermine and generate a deep sense of the experiences, which is specific in maintaining the value of the healthcare aspects, where the contexts and the personal phases are critical for understanding the consequences and potential behaviors.

Data Collection

The findings of the research underscore the secondary data collection methods. It aids a comprehensive analysis of the previous studies, that provides wider aspects related to the responsibilities regarding servant leadership within the healthcare segment. This aspect provides cost-effectiveness and saves a considerable amount of time, allowing the researcher to establish the knowledge base scrutinize the trends manifested within the identity, and delve into the patterns to enhance the consequences of the patient and engagement of the staff members. 

Data Analysis

The analysis of the thematic aspects involves recognizing and scrutinizing the recurring themes in prevalent kinds of literature that influence the leadership techniques regarding the outcomes of the patient and the engagement of the staff behaviors.

Ethical Consideration

The research considers all the necessary aspects while delivering the outcomes of the research work. The authenticity of the datasets is properly maintained and the evaluation process is carried on fairly.

Timeline

Figure 1: Gantt Chart

(Source: Self developed)

References

Bennett, D. and Hylton, R., (2020). Servant leadership: Is this the type of leadership for job satisfaction among healthcare employees?. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(3), pp.210-212.

Best, C., (2020). Is there a place for servant leadership in nursing?. Practice Nursing, 31(3), pp.128-132.

Demeke, G.W., van Engen, M.L. and Markos, S., (2024). Servant leadership in the healthcare literature: a systematic review. Journal of healthcare leadership, pp.1-14.

Hattab, S. and Kornelius, Y., (2021). Effect of servant leadership on the performance of a regional general hospital. Probl Perspect Manag, 19(2), pp.507-518.

Horowitz, M.L., Stone, D.S., Sibrian, J., DuPee, C. and Dang, C. (2022) ‘An innovative approach for graduate nursing student achievement of leadership, quality, and safety competencies’, Journal of Professional Nursing, 43, pp. 134–139.

Lister, S., Hofland, J., Grafton, H. and Wilson, C. (eds) (2021) The Royal Marsden Manual of clinical nursing procedures, student edition. 10th edn. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Munn, F. (2024) Under pressure: the support for nursing staff and managers [Podcast]. 8 February. Available at: https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/newsroom/podcast/workplace-pressures-how-code-supports-nurses-and-managers-204051 (Accessed: 18 March 2024).

Nursing & Midwifery Council (2018) The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/nmc-publications/nmc-code.pdf (Accessed: 18 March 2024).

Qin, L., Li, J. and Li, C., (2023). Servant leadership behaviour of head nurse assessment and its linkage with nurse work engagement in China. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(11), pp.4356-4364.

Stanley, D. (2022) ‘Chapter 2: Leadership Theories and Styles’, in Stanley, D., Bennett, C.L. and James, A.H Clinical Leadership in Nursing and Healthcare. Newark: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 31-60.

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