Effect of transformational leadership on job satisfaction and patient safety outcomes.

•Nursing leadership is pivotal to providing high-quality patient care and ensuring favorable organizational outcomes.•Transformational leadership indirectly influences nurses' job satisfaction and prevalence of adverse patient outcomes through workplace empowerment.•Managers who demonstrate transformational leadership in the workplace have greater potential to create environments that support professional nursing practice that promote high-quality patient care.•Health care administrators need to consider change of policies to improve the work environment by providing leadership development and mentorship opportunities for existing and aspiring managers.