The Role of Trust in Health Care Change Management: A Narrative Study on Nurses' Perceptions.

This paper discusses and explores trust development in workplaces empirically in the changing health care sector bringing also an aesthetics perspective into the theoretical discussion. The paper focuses on the role of trust within workplace interaction, particularly raising a timely view of health care work context (nurses). The aesthetic side of leadership is studied, as it is inherent in health care leadership due to professional highlight in physical care. Trust-building as an essential skill for leaders is seen as a 'sensory experience' occurring in interaction within relationships. Hence, trust itself is a driving force engendering and shaping relationships and their dynamics. In the paper, a qualitative approach is adopted aiming at deepening our understanding of the perceptions of nurses in their organizational contexts. The data consists of 15 written narratives from nurses' experiences in healthcare organizations in Finland. Thematic content analysis is employed in the data analysis. Sharing emotions is highlighted in reporting the empirical findings. Without actions, trust may simply falter although the trust development process also inherently includes times of calm. The data highlights the significance of appreciation, especially feedback and commendation. Appreciation is expressed as a basis for trust -building by interaction and dialogue. Appreciation seems to be one of the cornerstones of the trust development process. The findings are discussed in more detailed in the paper. The paper provides new insights on change management of health care organizations by focusing on the role of trust in leader communication. Managerial implications highlight the appreciation of nurses' work and opinions: listening to nurses enhances trust building within health care organizations. Understanding processes of trust through the lens of aesthetics may provide a way for encouragement needed for the more open communicational culture in health care organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]