As the direct leader in the nursing unit, the ward head’s leadership style plays an important role in influencing nurses’ motivation, enthusiasm, and work ethic. High-quality nursing care is one of the key indicators of nurse performance. This research seeks to explore the connection between the ward head’s predominant leadership style and the performance of nurses at Muhammadiyah Ponorogo General Hospital.
This study used a quantitative method with a cross-sectional design. A total of 79 nurses from the inpatient unit at Ponorogo General Hospital were included as both the population and sample, using a total sampling approach. Data were collected using a questionnaire to determine the dominant leadership style and its relation to nurse performance.
The results indicated that most ward heads at Ponorogo General Hospital (58 respondents) adopted a democratic leadership style, making it the most dominant style observed. Regarding nurse performance, the majority were classified as having good performance (40 respondents or 50.6%), while the remaining 39 respondents (49.4%) were considered to have fair performance. Statistical analysis using the Chi-square test yielded a p-value of 0.001, which is below the significance level of 0.05, indicating a significant correlation between the dominant leadership style and nurse performance in the hospital’s inpatient unit.
In conclusion, the democratic leadership style, identified as the dominant approach among ward heads, has a positive influence on nurse performance. It is recommended that hospital management continue to foster and support the development of a more communicative leadership approach in order to build a work environment that is conducive, productive, and high in quality.