ABSTRACT
Objective
To know the understanding of nurses regarding the exercise of dialogic leadership in the hospital setting, and the challenges of leadership.
Methods
Qualitative and exploratory-descriptive study Thirty-five nurses of a mid-sized hospital in the city of Pelotas/RS participated in this study. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, subsequently analysed using the operative proposal of Minayo.
Results
The results led to the following categories: exercise of dialogic leadership and challenges in the exercise of dialogic leadership. Dialogic leadership is understood as being the nurses’ ability to coordinate and organise the nursing team in horizontally-oriented relationships guided by dialogue. Regarding the challenges, the nurses stressed the lack of professional experience, and relationships of hierarchy and power.
Final considerations
Leadership based on dialogue can facilitate the management of care, of the nursing team, and of health services.
Nursing; Leadership; Health services