A management progression system for nurse administrators, Part 3

This article is the final segment of a three-part series describing a study undertaken by a task force at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, a 541-bed research facility in Bethesda, Maryland. The purpose of the task force was to develop a Management Progression System for Nurse Administrators. Part 1 of the series depicted the actual work of nurse administrators according to their managerial responsibilities, and defined such work as decision making. Part 2 of the series identified the skills and knowledge requisite to effective decision making for each of the three basic levels of managerial responsibility. This last segment of the series explicitly presents the components of the Management Progression System as they relate to implementation and evaluation of management development programs designed specifically for nurse administrators.

A Management Progression System for Nurse Administrators, Part 1

This article describes the rationale for developing a Management Progression Systems for Nurse Administrators. A format is presented which depicts critical decision areas for managers. The importance of gathering appropriate and quality information is stressed as a basic to effective decision making. Sample representative decisions for each of three administrative positions are presented. Part 2 of this series will deal with the three most important areas of managerial skills. Judgments about the appropriate combination of necessary skills will be presented. Then, competencies related to the basic skill areas and selected factors which assess those skills will be discussed.

Qualifications required in advertisements for hospital pharmacy management positions

Advertisements for pharmacy management positions were analyzed to determine the extent to which advanced degrees or experience were required. Advertisements were collected from three professional journals for 1971-1981 for the following positions: director and assistant director of pharmacy services, director and assistant director of clinical services, director and assistant director of drug information, and clinical coordinator. The following information was obtained from each advertisement: position title, educational degree required or preferred, number of beds in institution, type of ownership of institution, residency required or preferred, and experience required or preferred. Of 224 advertisements analyzed, 124 were for directors of pharmacy, 59 for assistant directors of pharmacy, and 41 for clinical management positions. No degree was required or preferred in 85 of the advertisements. A degree qualification was specified for all the clinical management positions; 37 out of 41 required a Pharm.D. or advanced degree. Advertisements for directors and assistant directors requiring and advanced degree were evenly divided between Pharm.D. and M.S. degrees. Since 1979, the number of advertisements not specifying a degree appears to have decreased and the number specifying M.S. or Pharm.D. to have increased. Managerial experience was mentioned in 51 of 183 advertisements for directors and assistant directors. For clinical management positions, only 6 specified managerial experience and 22 required clinical experience. Many employers specified residencies as qualifications. Advanced degrees are increasingly in demand for management positions. Advancement opportunities in the future may not be as promising as in the past for pharmacists who hold only B.S. degrees.