Servant Leadership in Nursing

Mary O'Brien grounds this 2011 nursing leadership text in original research — seventy-five interviews with contemporary nursing leaders — rather than purely theoretical frameworks, which gives it practical credibility. Her argument that authentic nursing leadership is rooted in servant vocation, compassion, and spiritual care fits naturally with how many nurses already understand their calling. The Catholic University of America professor weaves faith and professional ethics together without forcing them, and Jones & Bartlett's nursing imprint lends the volume appropriate academic credibility. The caveat is that the Catholic spiritual framing, while handled thoughtfully, may not resonate with all readers, and the audience is genuinely narrow — nursing students, educators, and administrators. General readers looking at leadership broadly would find more accessible options. For nursing professionals, it fills a real gap.