Examining the structural challenges to communication as experienced by nurse managers in two US hospital settings

Increasing Outpatient Clinic Healthcare Provider Engagement Through Nursing Leader Communication

Maintaining engaged nurses and other health care providers were challenging at a multi-specialty outpatient clinic where engagement scores were trending downward. This quality improvement (QI) was developed to improve engagement by implementing structured, evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions to increase nursing leader communication, visibility, and feedback. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17) compared pre-and post-intervention effectiveness from week one to week eight. The interventions increased the pre-UWES-17 scores by 7.4%. The findings confirmed the effectiveness of the interventions for improving overall healthcare provider engagement.

A comparison of middle managers' and paediatric nurses' satisfaction with organisational communication

AIMS

To explore the differences in organisational communication satisfaction between ward paediatric nurses and middle managers, and to assess whether there is a difference in organisational communication satisfaction between paediatric nurses and middle managers with different educational levels, years of nursing and managerial experience, contracted hours, area of work, age and gender.

BACKGROUND

Previous studies reported a connection between job satisfaction, work commitment and organisational communication; however, nurses' and nursing middle managers' satisfaction with organisational communication has not been extensively studied in recent years and not at all among paediatric nurses.

METHODS

A cross-sectional quantitative research design using online and hard copy self-reported questionnaires was used. Data were collected at one point in time from paediatric nurses and middle (nursing) managers working in a tertiary paediatric hospital in Australia. Statistical methods were employed for data analysis.

RESULTS

The middle management group were significantly more dissatisfied with organisational communication than the paediatric ward nurse group. Middle managers were found in this study to effectively manage and maintain communication lines with the personnel who reported to them; however, communication within the management cohort itself was found to be suboptimal.

CONCLUSION

Further research to understand how horizontal and vertical communications at the nurse manager and executive level can be optimised is required.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

It is anticipated that the findings from this study may increase the understanding of communication satisfaction between paediatric nurses and middle managers. The study has highlighted the need for improvement with information flow in the management cohort with the addition of extra managerial support and empowerment.

Difficulties of unit managers in selected district hospitals in Cameroon

BACKGROUND

Being appointed to a managerial position because of one's clinical skills seems to be prestigious, even powerful. However, being a unit manager in a resource-constrained district hospital can be a daunting task. Also, managing a ward unit with no previous training in leadership and management can be very challenging.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to describe the difficulties, in the day-to-day activities, of unit managers in selected Cameroonian district hospitals.

METHOD

A constructionist, descriptive Husserlian phenomenological inquiry was conducted to describe the difficulties of unit managers in two district hospitals. Ten unit managers were selected through a purposive sampling scheme, and then interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Coliazzi's qualitative data analysis method was used for analysis.

RESULTS

This study revealed that unit managers looked for assistance because it is not easy to be in their position. Their role implied facing difficulties and making sacrifices for something that is not even worth the trouble. Therefore, as a way to overcome their difficulties, they asked for assistance from the organisation, from their families and from God as strategies to face their difficulties.

CONCLUSION

The difficulties faced by unit managers in the selected district hospitals revealed the need to prepare nurses for managerial positions by ensuring they are trained as managers before commencing employment as a manager.

Exploring the Professional Responsibility Concern Process: An Alberta Perspective

BACKGROUND

Registered nurses are pivotal in the analysis, recognition, and reporting of patient safety issues before harm occurs to patients. Little has been written about the relationship between the professional responsibility of reporting safety concerns and the processes that exist.

PROBLEM

More needs to be known about how nurses can best report factors in work environments that impact patient safety. Learning more about processes that exist amidst literature that illuminates the issues related to reporting and patient safety culture is needed. Also, best practice or key exemplars depicting how professional responsibility has been implemented are needed. Limited has been written exploring professional responsibility concern processes in Canada and internationally.

APPROACH

We completed a case study exploration comprising a public facing Web site scan of information about professional responsibility-like processes across Canada, as well as an extensive literature search exploring factors that are linked with nurse reporting of patient safety concerns.

CONCLUSION

Themes from related literature identify patient safety culture, leadership qualities, communication, positive nurse factors, speaking up, and whistle-blowing as important aspects that facilitate, or are related to, the ability for nurses to express professional responsibility concerns. Alberta has a well-developed system of reporting such concerns; however, the lack of research and literature on these topics requires additional focus in nursing internationally.

How do nurses' work arrangements influence nurse managers' communication? A qualitative study

AIM

To understand how nurses' work arrangements influence nurse managers' communication with their nurses.

BACKGROUND

Transient work relations affect nurse coordination and the way nurse managers work, especially since giving feedback is an important managerial responsibility.

METHOD

Semi-structured interviews conducted between June 2016 and November 2017.

RESULTS

Although professional communication on direct patient care is mostly standardized, nurses' work arrangements influence how nurse managers mentor and provide feedback.

CONCLUSION

Facilities must explore avenues to provide nurse managers with adequate resources so that they can mentor both permanent and temporary nurses to their full professional potential. The implementation of formal mentoring programmes is important to ensure that temporary nurses receive the same information and support that permanent nurses receive and that permanent nurses feel comfortable to critically evaluate information from trusted sources.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Nurse managers with limited mentoring resources may have to make practical decisions on whom they mentor, but this practical approach becomes a problem when nurses who do not receive adequate mentoring bring their deficiencies to other facilities. The rise in alternative work arrangements requires a shift in thinking about mentoring as a managerial responsibility to improve nursing care delivery universally and not unit specific.