First-line nurse managers in NSW: Perceived role competencies
Christine Duffield
Centre for Health Services Management, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW
Judith Donoghue
Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Technology Sydney, Kogarah NSW
Dianne Pelletier
Centre for Graduate Nursing Studies, University of Technology, Sydney NSW
Anne Adams
Centre for Graduate Nursing Studies, University of Technology, Sydney NSW
PP: 110 - 117
Abstract
A survey of 412 first-line nurse managers employed in hospitals in New South Wales, Australia was undertaken to determine the competencies they believed an individual should possess to fulfil that managerial role. Factor analyses identified both significant functions of the role as well as areas of role conflict and confusion. 13 factors were identified from 4 major scales indicating that first-line nurse managers perceived their role to be extremely comprehensive in terms of managerial knowledge and skills.
The analyses clearly indicate that competencies related to staffing and financial issues are perceived to be essential to role performance. However, the correlation coefficient (factor loadings) indicate that ambiguity exists with competencies concerning patient care, perhaps as the remnants of the charge nurses role are discarded.
The findings in this study have been presented in two parts: Part 1 discussed the factors identified in two scales, Functional Management and Patient Care Management; Part 11 discusses the factors identified in the remaining two scales, Staff Management and Leadership (subdivided into two sub-scales for analysis).
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