Date of Award

8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Executive Leadership

First Supervisor

Dr. Daniele Lyman-Torres

Second Supervisor

Dr. Abigail Dziedzic Baird

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to understand the role of transformational leadership in relation to well-being among globally educated nurses (GENs) and contiguous United States, or mainland, educated nurses (CONUS-educated nurses). As internal and external pressures on healthcare systems intensify and impact the workforce, healthcare administrators and leaders must respond. This response must support elements of nurse well-being for both GENs and CONUS-educated nurses. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Transformational Leadership. This quantitative, correlational research design analyzed archival organizational engagement data from two acute care hospitals in New York State. The study examined professional satisfaction, engagement, and the relationship between transformational leadership and nurse engagement across GEN and CONUS-educated nurses. Findings indicated that GENs reported significantly higher professional satisfaction than CONUS-educated nurses. Engagement scores were directionally higher among GENs, although the difference was not statistically significant. Lastly, transformational leadership was positively correlated with engagement among both GENs and CONUS-educated nurse segments. Although the correlation was numerically higher among GEN segments, the analysis did not establish that the strength of the relationship differed significantly. The study utilized a correlational design to identify relationships. It is recommended that developed healthcare systems focus on strategic interventions with the intersection of workforce demographics. This study further contributes to the field of healthcare by advancing understanding of transformational leadership, nurse engagement, and the implications for the nursing workforce along with positive implications on patient safety and quality care.

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