Caring for each other: how do nurse managers 'manage' their role?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Leadership
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Literature indicates a general lack of collegial support among nurses.
• Nursing unit managers face increasing administrative and managerial demands without adequate organizational backing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the support systems available to nursing unit managers in Australia.
• To explore the experiences of nursing unit managers regarding organizational and peer support.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative feminist research approach.
• Individual interviews conducted with 20 nursing unit managers.
• Participants were employed within the Australian public healthcare system.

Main Results:

• Participants reported a lack of support from the broader healthcare organization.
• Strong support was identified from within the nursing unit managers' immediate peer group.
• Despite general literature, a robust internal support network was evident among participants.

Conclusions:

• A significant support system exists among nursing unit managers, contradicting some existing research.
• Findings highlight the importance of peer support networks for nurse managers.
• Results can guide the development of enhanced support structures for nursing leadership.