Abstract
This study investigated how nurses in two state hospitals in Izmir in Turkey perceived the current power base of their hospital nurse managers and what these same nurses preferred their hospital nurse managers to have their power base to be. This is a descriptive design that used a sample of 150 nurse staffs. The perceived leadership power questionnaire (PLPQ) was used. Frequency distribution, percent distributions, mean score, analysis of variance, t-test, Pearson correlation analysis and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were used in data analysis. There were a significant difference between the perceived and preferred perception of reinforced power style (t= -10.19, p<.05), while there was no relation between perceived and preferred perception of legal power style (t= -1.90, p>.05) and compelling power style (t= -.03, p>.05). Reinforced power is perceived and preferred more while legal power and compelling power are perceived and preferred less. Nurse Managers use the reinforced power the most on their staff nurses. Legal power and compelling power are following in order.