The role of a nurse manager in creating a safe work environment
Name
Institutional affiliation
Date
Article: Cox, C. A. (2019). Nurse manager job satisfaction and retention: A home healthcare perspective. Nursing Management, 50(7), 16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6716559/
Principal findings
The findings from the study confirmed the important roles nurse managers play in creating a safe working environment. A nurse manager is always ahead of other nurses and ensures the work environment is safe for all nurses. The study reveals that nurse managers perform administrative roles and provide care to patients. The combination of management and clinical roles makes the position of a nurse manager demanding. Nurse managers barely have ample time to rest because they have to see things run in order. The nurse manager in the managerial department contributes to staff management, treatment planning, mentoring, developing educational plans, and recruitment. The nurse manager contributes to the clinical expertise needed during patient care. The creation of a safe work environment runs more than it might be perceived. The majority thinks that a safe work environment is to do with only an environment free from harm. That is not the case because nurses need a safe work environment with available resources and good working relationships. Therefore, the nurse manager ensures good interprofessional relationships among employees. Another finding that proved useful in the study is the communication role of the nurse manager. Effective communication between the nurse manager and members of staff is vital in healthcare delivery.
Strengths and weaknesses of the study
The study exhibit strengths that distinguish it from other previously reviewed studies with a similar topic. First, the participant selection matched the purpose of the study. All the selected participants were grouped depending on the level of education. The assessed nurse managers were grouped from the associate degree level to doctorate. The classification was necessary to determine the roles played by each nurse manager, depending on their level of education. Another strength that is evident in the study is the vast description of the concepts. No detail has been left unturned, and that make the article easy to understand. Participant selection was performed through the human resource department, which increased data reliability.
Despite the strengths, the article presents with flaws that need improvement. The study used a small sample size, and that lowered the representativeness. A good study should use a large sample size to yield data that represents the whole population. The sample obtained should give a true picture of the large population. Even with the small sample size, the findings are advantageous to healthcare leaders in understanding nurse managers’ roles and job satisfaction. Another limitation observed in the study was the use of the voluntary method. There would be possibilities of response bias, even if the respondents were assured of confidentiality. There are also possibilities that the selected nurse managers did not provide an in-depth description of their roles, or they only provided such roles because they were asked and not in a practical environment. Another limitation that could have been associated with the study is researcher bias. The research might have personal beliefs about a nurse manager. Such belief does not allow for real-life situations making the researcher exhibit rigidity when interacting with the respondents. The researcher can minimize personal bias by applying the transcendental approach, which allows him to set aside personal ideas and beliefs about a nurse manager’s position.
Strengths and weaknesses in relation to other studies discuss any differences.
The major strength that differentiates the study from other studies with a similar topic is the concepts’ in-depth description. All the procedures and results are well outlined, which makes it easy to understand. The author has complimented the data making it user-friendly. At the end section of the study, the authors have provided a test with all respondents’ instructions; that grant the study respondent the feeling of inclusiveness. The approach used is rare in other studies, and I think it is advantageous to all quantitative or qualitative studies.
Meaning of the study, possible mechanisms, and implications
The study reveals the roles of nurse managers. The position of a nurse manager demands managerial and leading skills. In short, the nurse manager should possess effective leadership and managerial skills. The study further highlights nurse managers’ functions; this enlightens nurses with the ambition of becoming nurse managers. Nurse managers need skills that extend beyond the educational training (Yoder, 2019). Nurses with the ambition of assuming the managerial roles should be equipped with certain skills. The study addresses professional competency among nurse managers and strategies for improving performance. An effective nurse manager should understand the organizational culture and use the data to make decisions.
Unanswered questions and future research
One of the unanswered questions is “what are the factors that promote or impair a nurse manager’s performance?” the study addresses the functions of a nurse manager but leaves the gap of factors that affect the performance of a nurse manager in healthcare. Nurse managers are victims of burnout, necessitating professional research on factors that influence their performance. Another recommendation is to use a cross-sectional design that involves a large sample size and compare nurse managers’ roles with other healthcare managers.
Reference
Yoder, Patricia S. (2019). Leading and managing in nursing. Seventh edition. Page 1-1037. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y2d90rT1TvadCQcuIBQuJly8MR10knHV/view