The effect of inspirational leadership on nurses' voice: the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and the moderating mechanism of employee organizational identification.

BACKGROUND

Nurses' voices can effectively improve nursing quality, and in today's highly competitive social environment, nursing work has rapidly developed. Based on the conservation of resources theory, this study explored the effects of inspirational leadership (IL), emotional exhaustion (EE), and employee organizational identification (EOI) on nurses' voice.

METHODS

This study recruited 185 nurses from Anhui Province to participate in our survey. Questionnaires were employed to assess nurses' perception of IL by the head nurse, EE, EOI, and employee voice. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis.

RESULTS

Results showed a relationship between IL and employee voice. EE mediated their relationship, and EOI played a moderating role in the process.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that head nurses with IL positively impact nurses' voice. Additionally, nurses' EOI will also strengthen their relationship with the head nurses. As a result, nurses' willingness to express their opinions increases.