A first-line nurse manager's goal-profile.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Action Theory

Background:

• First-line nurse managers play a crucial role in healthcare quality and development amidst constant changes.
• The transition from nurse to manager presents significant challenges for first-line nurse managers.
• Effective leadership by nurse managers is vital for healthcare delivery and staff performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand the goal-profile and prioritization of a first-line nurse manager.
• To explore the influence of an action-theoretic and confirmatory theory on nurse manager roles.
• To analyze the relationship between goal acceptance, control, and self-identity in nursing leadership.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was employed, focusing on a first-line nurse manager in elderly care.
• Data collection involved interviews, observations, job descriptions, and policy documents.
• Hermeneutic interpretation was utilized for comprehensive data analysis.

Main Results:

• The nurse manager prioritized goals in the order: personal nurse goals, administrative goals, and leadership goals.
• Personal nurse goals were strongly accepted and controlled, while leadership goals were neither accepted nor controlled.
• Job descriptions influenced administrative and leadership goals, but personal goals stemmed from self-fulfillment.

Conclusions:

• Prioritized self-identity, driven by goal realization, significantly shapes the first-line nurse manager's work.
• Goal acceptance and control are critical for understanding nurse manager self-identity and work manifestation.
• The action-theoretic approach offers insights into leadership dynamics within clinical practice.