The Influence of Transformational Leadership on Burnout and Turnover Intention Among Psychiatric Nurses in Correctional Facilities

Abstract

Psychiatric nurses in correctional settings are faced with highly complex environments with high patient acuity, security issues, emotional needs, workload stressors, and organizational resource constraints. These circumstances may make individuals more susceptible to workplace burnout and may enhance their resolve to quit their job, posing difficulties for job security and continuity of mental health care. The purpose of this study is to investigate how transformational leadership affects psychiatric nurses in correctional facilities in terms of burnout and intention to leave. It aims to examine whether the leadership behaviors of inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation and supportive communication can decrease occupational stress and increase the nurses’ intention to stay. The study suggests a quantitative correlational research method involving the use of standardized instruments for assessing psychiatric nursing staffs’ transformational leadership, burnout, and intention to leave. Relationships between the study variables can be assessed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis and mediation testing. The proposed framework assumes that higher transformational leadership will be linked to lower burnout and to lower intention to leave, and higher levels of burnout will be linked to higher intention to leave. Results could help correctional healthcare administrators to design leadership behaviors and staff interventions that foster staff wellbeing, staff commitment, and staff retention and support sustainable psychiatric nursing services.