AB154. Challenges of nurse leaders in public and private hospitals within Pampanga: a descriptive phenomenological exploration

Background: Nurse leaders are pivotal in bridging administrative policies with clinical practice to ensure the delivery of quality patient care. However, the increasing complexity of healthcare environments presents significant challenges that can affect their performance, staff morale, and institutional efficiency. As they balance administrative responsibilities, support their teams, and meet organizational goals, understanding their challenges becomes essential to improving leadership development and healthcare outcomes. This study explored the management-related challenges faced by nurse leaders across six key areas: administrative demands, organizational structure, professional development, roles and responsibilities, interpersonal communication, and work environment.

Methods: A descriptive phenomenological design was utilized, involving five purposively selected nurse leaders from public and private hospitals in Pampanga. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and unstructured observations. Ethical approval was secured from the Ethics Review Committee, and the study passed a plagiarism check with a 1% similarity score, ensuring academic integrity. Bracketing was applied prior to data collection to minimize researcher bias. Colaizzi’s method guided data analysis, ensuring credibility and trustworthiness of findings.

Results: Six major themes emerged: (I) administrative pressures—increasing demands from upper management and complex administrative duties; (II) structural limitations—organizational and systemic constraints; (III) professional growth demands—the need for continuing education amidst institutional limitations; (IV) leadership role strain—expanded responsibilities beyond defined roles; (V) communication complexities—intergenerational and interdepartmental communication gaps; and (VI) afflicting work conditions—burnout, staffing shortages, and resource inadequacies.

Conclusions: The findings highlight the multifaceted challenges faced by nurse leaders in balancing leadership expectations with limited institutional support. Addressing these issues through organizational policy reforms, leadership training, mentorship programs, and improved communication systems is crucial to strengthening nursing leadership. Empowering nurse leaders enhances healthcare delivery, supports workforce sustainability, and ensures effective management in increasingly complex healthcare settings.

Keywords: nurse leadership; lived experiences; leadership challenges; nursing management