Exploring the challenges in leadership roles experienced by nurse managers in a mining primary healthcare setting in South Africa

Nursing managers' perceptions of teamwork and collaboration in mining primary healthcare clinics in Gauteng

BACKGROUND

 Teamwork and collaboration among nursing managers, nurses, doctors and peripheral hospitals treating mining patients is pivotal. A case study of specific mining primary healthcare clinics revealed a lack of teamwork among the doctors and nursing managers, even on decisions that show productivity.

OBJECTIVES

 The aim of this study was to explore and describe nursing managers' perceptions of teamwork and collaboration in mining primary healthcare clinics in Gauteng.

METHOD

 A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was adopted to conduct this study. Data were collected by conducting semi-structured individual interviews with 10 participants and thematically analysed. Data saturation was reached by the seventh participant and confirmed with three more interviews. Trustworthiness measures and ethical considerations were preserved as protocols because of the nature of the study.

RESULTS

 Three themes emanated from the study: (1) team coordination and support improve teamwork and collaboration in primary healthcare clinics, (2) there is a lack of involvement from the nursing team, negatively influencing teamwork and collaboration and (3) collaboration can improve the quality of healthcare services rendered in mining primary healthcare clinics.

CONCLUSION

 All mining primary healthcare clinic team members should be involved in operational activities to foster teamwork and collaboration.Contribution: This study revealed that teamwork and collaboration should be facilitated to improve the quality of healthcare service in mining primary healthcare clinics.

The perceptions of nurse managers working in the mining industry on workplace relationships

Background

Positive workplace relationships improve the quality of healthcare provided by promoting teamwork and ensuring that challenges are addressed amicably. Nurse managers, unit managers, nurses, doctors and union leaders are obligated to establish positive working relationships to deliver quality primary healthcare service to mine workers at the clinics of the mine. However, there are negative workplace relationships at the clinics of a specific mining company that affect the quality of service delivered.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of primary healthcare nurse managers working in the mining industry on workplace relationships.

Setting

This study was conducted in mining primary healthcare clinics located in Gauteng province, in the West Rand.

Methods

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was adopted in this study. Individual interviews were conducted to collect data from the primary healthcare nurse managers, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness measures and ethical principles were upheld in this study.

Results

Three themes surfaced in this study: (1) negative perceptions of primary healthcare nurse managers on workplace relationships, (2) positive perceptions of primary healthcare nurse managers on workplace relationships and (3) building workplace relationships between primary healthcare nurse managers and union leaders.

Conclusion

Nurse managers had positive and negative perceptions on working relationships in this study. Negative workplace relationships should be prevented at all costs by resolving conflicts amicably.

Contribution

Resolving of conflicts amicably to build positive workplace relationships.

Stretched beyond our capacity: The voices of operational managers from Ekurhuleni clinics during COVID-19

BACKGROUND

 Operational Managers (OMs) in primary health care (PHC) experienced new management dynamics during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They were not sufficiently prepared to deal with the extraordinary challenges brought by this global pandemic.

OBJECTIVES

 The aim of this study was to explore and describe the PHC OMs' experiences of new management dynamics in PHC facilities, created by COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

 This study used a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design and a phenomenological approach. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured individual interviews. Data saturation was reached by the 7th interview and two more interviews were done to confirm data saturation. Data analysis was conducted using Giorgi's descriptive thematic phenomenological data analysis method. An independent coder was implored to confirm the findings. This study was guided by Rogers Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Ethical considerations were applied throughout the research process.

RESULTS

 One central theme and three main themes emerged as; stretching of inadequate resources. themes; (1) budgetary cuts and increasing demands of resources, (2) insufficient of personal protective equipment, other general supplies and human resources, and (3) compromised service delivery and increased client's dissatisfaction.

CONCLUSION

 This study revealed that OMs were over stretched and overwhelmed by the management on PHC facilities due to COVID-19 pandemic dynamics.Contribution: The findings of this study can be implemented in PHC facilities to effectively deal with future pandemics of such a nature.

Nurse managers’ leadership roles in mining primary healthcare settings in Gauteng

Background

Nurse managers carry the light of leadership in mining primary healthcare settings (mPHCs). They must ensure that this light shines for their followers to improve the quality of service rendered in primary healthcare. However, the nurse managers in mPHCs are confusing their leadership roles with management roles. The existing policies such as operational management of mPHCs are also not clarifying the leadership roles of nurse managers.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to understand the nurse managers’ leadership roles in mPHCs.

Setting

This study was conducted in mPHCs, situated in Gauteng province, in the West Rand in 2017.

Methods

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was employed in this study. The participants were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling method. Ten participants formed part of the study. To collect data, individual in-depth interviews were conducted. Giorgi’s descriptive thematic data analysis was used to analyse data. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical principles were adhered to.

Results

Three themes emanated: confusion of leadership roles with management roles, confusion of leadership roles with clinical roles and confusion of leadership roles with resources management roles.

Conclusion

The importance of describing nurse managers’ leadership roles surfaced from this study to eradicate confusion.

Contribution

The nurse managers in mPHCs are now understanding their leadership roles, and that leadership roles, management roles, clinical roles and resources management roles are distinguishable.