Background: Nursing leadership and organizational culture are critical determinants of health care quality, staff well-being, and patient safety. This study investigated the research landscape of nursing leadership and organizational culture from 2001 to 2024. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database, searching publications from 2001 to 2024. Data were analyzed using VOSviewer to identify publication trends, geographical distribution, keyword co-occurrence networks, and thematic clusters of research output. A thematic diagram was developed to illustrate the interrelationships among the identified thematic clusters. Results: Research activity surged significantly after 2009, with a marked citation increase post-2015. “Leadership,” “Nurses,” and “Nursing leadership” were the most frequent keywords. Five main thematic clusters were identified: leadership and patient safety, workplace dynamics, nurse leaders’ well-being, evidence-based practice implementation, and burnout and job satisfaction. To clarify the relationships between clusters, an input–mediator–output thematic diagram was derived. Cluster 4 (evidence-based practice in nursing implementation) was the input and influenced the mediating processes that manifested in Cluster 1 (leadership and patient safety culture), Cluster 2 (workplace dynamics and culture), and Cluster 3 (well-being of nurse leaders and managers). These processes culminate in Cluster 5 (burnout and job satisfaction), which is a result of organizational leadership, culture, and process effectiveness. Conclusion: This study highlights the global prioritization of nursing leadership and organizational culture as essential research domains. The thematic clusters and diagram emphasize the critical role of effective nursing leadership in shaping positive organizational cultures that promote patient safety and support nurse well-being.
Lim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.