Coping strategies for managing the ineffective subordinate in nursing administration

Ineffective subordinates exist in various degrees in every organization, whether it be the health-care field or business. Nursing administration is no exception. This study examines the reasons why ineffective subordinates in nursing administration are retained by hospitals and the coping methods used by superiors in dealing with those subordinates. A questionnaire was used to identify both the reasons for retention and the coping methods used. Additionally, correlation analysis revealed that coping strategies are a function of the supervisor's age, his or her level of management, the perceived prevalence of the number of ineffective subordinates, organizational control of the hospital and various other hospital size factors.

Role selection by nurses: managerial interests and personal attributes

The relationship between interest in management roles and personality, demographic, and career background characteristics of 122 female nurses was investigated. The study tested the proposition that women in nursing seek roles within the profession that permit the expression of their personalities. The subjects, first-quarter master's degree students, were classified into management or non-management groups, based upon their scores on the business management scale of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII). Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for unequal N's showed significant group differences on seven of the 11 scales of the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI). Findings indicated that those who exhibited managerial interests were more practical-minded, sociable, conforming, dominant, expressive, and had more occupational interests than those who did not demonstrate such interest. Women lacking managerial interests showed a greater preference for "feminine," low-status occupations. No significant group differences were found on any of the 19 demographic and career background variables.

The role of the nurse executive

It is vital that the nurse executive critically examine her role conception and her role performance. She should take an activist's position in regard to her role, making it the sort of role it should be rather than merely filling the role as others expect or anticipate. Every role has much elasticity in it, and this enables the nurse executive to manipulate and alter the role if she tries. She also should learn to be sensitive to attempts to cast her in lesser roles than those which accord with her position in the organization. Role is an excellent concept by which to consider and link such various elements of management as managerial skills and abilities, managerial functions, organizational status, and strategies for management.

Decision making in nursing: an analytical approach

Decision making is a basic function of all nurse leaders. Because of the complex nature of many decision situations faced by nurses, problem solving and decision making in nursing are as much an art as a science. The Vroom and Yetton model of decision making is an appropriate tool through which nurses involved in patient care management can examine their decision making and improve their decision behavior. Use of this model is suggested as an approach to teaching decision making at the undergraduate and graduate level of nursing education. Case material has been presented to help readers identify their favored methods of decision making and to point out possible deficiencies in these methods.