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Background: The person-centred practice framework represents the cornerstone of a middle-range theory. Internationally, person-centredness has become an increasingly common topic. The measurement of the existence of a person-centred culture is complex and subtle. The Person-Centred Practice Inventory—Staff (PCPI-S) measures clinicians' experience of a person-centred culture in their practice. The PCPI-S was developed in English. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to translate the PCPI-S into German and to cross-culturally adapt and test in the acute care setting (PCPI-S aG Swiss) and (2) to investigate the psychometric properties of the PCPI-S aG Swiss. Methods: The two-phase investigation of this cross-sectional observational study followed the guidelines and principles of good practice for the process of translation and cross-cultural adaptation of self-reporting measures. Phase 1 involved an eight-step translation and cultural adaptation of the PCPI-S testing in an acute care setting. In Phase 2, psychometric retesting and statistical analysis based on a quantitative cross-sectional survey were undertaken. To evaluate the construct validity, a confirmatory factor analysis was implemented. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the internal consistency. Results: A sample of 711 nurses working in a Swiss acute care setting participated in testing the PCPI-S aG Swiss. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good overall model fit, validating the strong theoretical framework, which underpins the PCPI-S aG Swiss. Cronbach's alpha scores demonstrated excellent internal consistency. Conclusion: The chosen procedure ensured cultural adaptation to the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The psychometric results were good to excellent and comparable with other translations of the instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leadership programmes have been used to support nurse leaders in developing their skills and equiping them as transformative change agents in healthcare organisations around the world. For this purpose, the Royal College of Nursing's Clinical Leadership Programme has been adapted, implemented, and evaluated in Switzerland. Although a shared vision is a key element in leading organisations and in change, the impact of such a vision on clinical practice is rarely described in the literature. Aims and objectives: To determine qualitatively the benefits of a shared vision as one essential feature of leadership behaviour. Methods: In the context of a mixed methods research study, individual interviews with nurse leaders, as well as focus group interviews with their respective teams, were recorded and transcribed verbatim prior to qualitative content analysis. In order to integrate all findings, a triangulation protocol was applied after separate analysis. Findings: Having a vision helped leaders and their teams to become inspired and committed to a shared goal. Moreover, the vision was a strong driving force for ongoing and systematic practice development and thus established a culture that favoured quality and safety improvement in patient care. However, the strategic direction needed to be tempered; the positive impact on teams and their care practices generated a great deal of enthusiasm, which had the potential to overload the organisation through taking on more than could reasonably be accomplished. Conclusion: The study found that a vision provides orientation and meaning for leaders and their teams. It helps them to focus their energies and engage in the transformation of practice. However, it is very important for leaders to monitor closely the energy level of teams and the organisation, in order to maintain the balance between innovation/transformation and relaxation/recovery. Implications for practice: A vision provides orientation and meaning for leaders and their teams and is a strong driving force for ongoing and systematic practice development The enthusiasm at the beginning brought about the danger of starting too many activities, thus overloading the organisation. Therefore, it is important for leaders to maintain the balance between innovation/transformation and relaxation/recovery Care should be taken to ensure that a vision and corresponding core values are realistic and achievable. Otherwise, the vision might remain an unattainable illusion, and the individuals who are supposed to turn it into reality may become frustrated and demotivated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

martin j.s., mccormack b., fitzsimons d. & spirig r. (2012) Journal of Nursing Management 20, 72-80 Evaluation of a clinical leadership programme for nurse leaders Aim This is an evaluation study of the impact of the adapted RCN Clinical Leadership Programme on the development of leadership competencies of nurse leaders in Switzerland. Background Transformational leadership competencies are essential for delivering high-quality care within health-care organizations. However, many countries have identified a lack of leadership skills in nurse leaders. Consequently, the development of leadership competencies is a major objective for health-care centres. Methods This article describes the quantitative results of a mixed methods study. A one-group pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design was used. A convenience sample of 14 ward leaders were assessed three times using the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). Descriptive and inferential data analysis techniques were employed. Results In total 420 observer-assessment questionnaires and 42 self-assessment questionnaires were distributed. Our main finding was that nurse leaders following the programme, demonstrated significant improvement in two subscales of the LPI -'inspiring a shared vision' and 'challenging the process'. Conclusion This study showed improvement in two leadership practices of nurse leaders following a programme that has been adapted to Swiss health care. Implications for nursing management Findings concur with others studies that suggest that investments in educational programs to facilitate leadership skills in nurse leaders are justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]