Nurse managers don't get the corner office

Abstract

Purpose: First-line nurse managers occupy an unenviable position in many healthcare services worldwide, in that they are responsible for the clinical and administrative operations of a ward or unit. As such, their role is complex and multifaceted requiring an intertwining of clinical and managerial duties. This study aimed to explore the working world of first-line nurse managers and focused on their role within the organisational and professional culture of the workplace from a gender and organizational power perspective. Methodology: This qualitative feminist study explored the experiences of nurse managers. Data was collected using observation and individual semi-structured interviews with twenty nurse managers employed in the public hospital system, within a regional area of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Findings: The findings indicated that the participants experienced a lack of access to organizational power, mediated by organisational assumptions about nurses' power and status. Conclusions and implications: The findings will be discussed with reference to the support needs of this group, the workplace geography and resourcing issues raised in this study. Finally, suggestions are made that have the potential to enhance and empower the role of the nurse manager and inform organisational decisions about how best to attract and retain nurses in management roles. Originality/value: When the participants' workspaces were considered from an organizational power perspective, they provide a unique insight into the symbols that reflected a lack of organisational power and status for nurse managers.