Validating a followership training Innovation For Nurses: A modified E-delphi study

Abstract

Training both leaders and followers on how they can improve their roles enhances organisational performance. Focusing on followership development produces followers who are empowered and understand that productivity is the responsibility for everyone in the organisational strata. To validate and reach expert consensus on a followership training innovation for nurses working in a hospital. A modified e-Delphi technique was adopted to solicit opinion from 16 purposively selected experts in nursing education, nursing management, organisational leadership, and followership. Two rounds of the Delphi were conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed via a Google form. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data in both rounds. Thematic analysis was used to analyse written comments from experts. The response rate was 100% (n = 16/16) in round 1 and 75% (n = 12/16) in round 2. The overall impression of the innovation reached a consensus level of 0.93. The overall consensus of the content of the innovation was 0.90 in round 1 and 0.88 in round 2. The experts’ comments and suggestions for adding items on the innovation were incorporated in round 2. Experts reached consensus on 5 criteria regarding the overall impression and 17 criteria on the content of the followership training innovation. Future research needs to implement the followership training innovation for nurses in hospital settings. Nurse leaders need to facilitate the implementation of followership training for nurses to develop effective followers.