The Perceived Leadership Effective of a Nurse Manager: Internal Promotion versus Eternal Hire

OBJECTIVE
This study explored the perceived leadership effectiveness of nurse managers promoted from within an organization compared to those hired from outside.

METHODOLOGY
The sample was registered nurse managers who are members of the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (N = 120), of which 55 participated (46% response rate). Thirty-four had received internal promotions and 21 were hired from outside the organization. Females comprised 94 percent of the internally promoted respondents and 90 percent of the externally hired. Respondents completed the Leadership Practices Inventory.

KEY FINDINGS
There were no significant differences on the five leadership practices between the nurse managers who had been promoted from within versus those who had been hired externally.