The Impact of Nurse Managerial Leadership on Nursing Retention, Work-Life Integration, and Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

Background/Introduction: The retention of nurses continues to be a concern internationally as it has been associated with patient safety, quality of care, and labor force stability. Leadership has been found to significantly predict retention, work-life integration (WLI), and emotional intelligence (EI). However, current evidence is frequently limited regarding the relationship between retention, WLI, and EI. Objectives: This review aimed to synthesize evidence on the impact of nurse managerial leadership on nursing retention, with particular attention to WLI and EI, while highlighting research gaps relevant to healthcare and the Saudi context. Methods: A narrative literature review of relevant literature from 2016-2025 was performed utilizing PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Key words used were nurse managerial leadership, nursing retention, work-life balance, work-life integration, and emotional intelligence. Studies were eligible if they focused on leadership in the context of retention, WLI, or EI in nurses or similar professions. The review considered studies outside and within healthcare to include all relevant transferable findings. Thematic synthesis of data was used to identify patterns, connections, and to fill the gap. Results: Of the three leadership styles, transformational leadership demonstrated the greatest positive effect on retention, whereas the effects of transactional and laissez-faire leadership were relatively weaker. The transformational and servant leadership also increased job satisfaction and decreased turnover intention. WLI supports leadership-enhanced engagement and performance, but the majority of the evidence was provided by non-healthcare settings. Similarly, EI was associated with enhanced trust, collaboration, and decreased burnout; however, the role of EI within nursing leadership was scarcely studied. Conclusion: Managerial leadership has a significant impact on WLI and EI, which further affect retention. However, health-specific, longitudinal, and context-sensitive research is still required, specifically in Saudi Arabia. Enhancing leadership practices that promote WLI and EI could offer practical approaches to increasing staff retention and enhancing patient care.