Nurse management and leadership today

Government health service reforms and the development of the Strategy for Nursing have forced a rethink of the attitudes, values and skills required to function in the new-style organisation. The thrust is towards alternative approaches to service provision and delivery, which increase the complexity of managing in today's health service. Nurses can influence the delivery of care in a proactive way, but there appears to be a crisis of confidence in nurse management and leadership. Measures to overcome this emphasise the need to develop sound continuing education programmes for nurses who manage. Individual performance review, cascaded to staff nurse level, is recommended as a positive means of encouraging individuals to develop their careers. Nurses are invited to take part in the reforms as a way of realising their own management talents.