Personal Initiative, Passive-Avoidant Leadership and Support for Innovation as Antecedents of Nurses’ Idea Generation and Idea Implementation

Purpose: This study aims to explore the role of individual (work engagement, personal initiative), group (transformational, transactional, passive-avoidant leadership) and organisational factors (support for innovation climate) in fostering the two components of nurses’ innovative behaviours, idea generation and idea implementation. Design and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in an Italian public hospital, in two departments that had been created by merging other departments. A self-report questionnaire was completed by 118 nurses. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Findings: Respondents reported a high frequency of idea generation followed by idea implementation. Personal initiative and passive-avoidant leadership were significantly and positively related to nurses’ idea generation and idea implementation. Support for innovation was positively related to idea implementation. Transactional and transformational leadership did not show any relationships with the two innovative work behaviours. Conclusions: This study shows that nurses’ innovative work behaviour is a complex and multi determined behaviour, influenced by individual, group, and organisational factors. It also shows that low levels of passive-avoidant leadership may contribute to innovation. Clinical Relevance: Healthcare policies and strategies are needed to support a leadership style that allows space for autonomy, and that, together with support for innovation and personal initiative, facilitates nurses’ idea generation and idea implementation.