Background: Leadership practices are crucial and main concern of health care
organizations around the world. Assessing head nurses' leadership practices by 360-degree
feedback are essential for leadership development. Aim: The study aimed at assessing head
nurses' leadership practices
using 360-degree feedback. Subjects and Methods:
Descriptive cross sectional design was used to carry out this study. The study was conducted
at Ain Shams University hospital and Ain shams pediatric hospital. The subjects of this
study included a convenience sample of 4supervisors and 50 head nurses, a stratified
disproportional random sample of 150 staff nurses and (150) patient from the
aforementioned settings. Data collection tool: was Leadership Practices Inventory. The
results: head nurses' perceived their own leadership were high (96%), while only (40%, 28%,
32%) of head nurses had high total leadership practice scores as perceived by their
supervisors, staff nurses and patients.Conclusion: there were high self-rating of head nurses
to their leadership practices and low other rated leadership practices scores as perceived by
supervisors, staff nurses and patients. Indicating over-self estimation of head nurses to their
leadership practices and lack of their self awareness. Recommendations: Conduct head
nurses' leadership practices training program to improve competencies they need to face
challenges. Studying the relationship between head nurses' leadership practices and staff
nurses' innovative behavior.