Effect of leadership competencies on crisis management practices in public healthcare facilities in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of leadership competencies on crisis management practices in public healthcare facilities in Nairobi, Kenya. Specifically, the study examined the influence of communication, coordination, and resource allocation competencies on health crisis management in the region. The study was anchored on Resilience Theory and Situational Leadership Theory. The study targeted all 104 public health facilities in Nairobi County, with a focus on health facility managers as the unit of observation. This study was conducted as a census, meaning all public health facilities and their managers were included, with no sampling involved. Primary data was collected through close-ended structured questionnaires, ensuring consistency in the data collection process by providing uniformity and that respondents interpret questions in a standard way to ensure consistency and obtain data that can be relied upon. The reliability of the research instrument was tested for validity and consistency. The completed questionnaires was thoroughly edited to minimize errors and omissions. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included percentages, means, and standard deviations, while inferential statistics utilized Pearson correlation to assess the strength and nature of the relationship between leadership competencies and healthcare crisis management, and ordinal regression analysis to determine the influence of leadership competencies on health crisis management. Ethical considerations were strictly observed to promote respect for the rights of the participants, well-being, and their dignity. The finding of the study established that communication competencies, coordination competencies and resources allocation competencies positively improved crisis management in the public health sector particularly Nairobi City County. It was concluded that elaborate communication, coordination and resource allocation strategies should be adopted by public health facilities to enable them to effectively manage health crisis when they arise. The study recommend that Public health facilities, should train its employees and management on the effective communication, coordination and resource allocation strategies. This is important to enable them to respond swiftly during crises. Policymakers, in particular, should ensure that policies to guide adoption of current technologies are in places to ensure efficiency during health crisis response. Key Words; leadership competencies, crisis management practices, public healthcare facilities in Nairobi, communication, coordination, and resource allocation competencies