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The hospital ward sister: professional gatekeeper.
1Surgical Unit, Brighton General Hospital.
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|July 1, 1990
Summary
Ward sisters act as gatekeepers for nursing professionalism, influencing patient care. Their role shift from clinical to managerial impacts the nursing profession.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Management
- Professional Roles in Healthcare
- Qualitative Research Methods
Background:
- Ward sisters/charge nurses hold significant influence within hospital environments.
- Previous research highlights the powerful impact of ward sisters on their surroundings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore ward sisters'/charge nurses' perceptions of their responsibilities.
- To develop a substantive theory on the professional role of ward sisters.
Main Methods:
- Utilized semi-structured interviews with 10 hospital sisters from two large hospitals.
- Employed grounded theory for emergent data analysis.
Main Results:
- Developed a substantive theory positing ward sisters as gatekeepers of the nursing profession's function.
- Identified the gatekeeper role as a key factor in the ward sister's influence.
Conclusions:
- The ward sister's professional gatekeeper role is central to their influence.
- A potential shift from clinical to managerial duties may have significant implications for professional nursing.
- Recommendations are proposed based on these findings.