Learning about nursing management

Summaries of the discussions were compiled in a booklet. The group then expressed an interest in getting some feedback on their decisions from nurse managers, so a meeting was arranged in the hospital where they were completing their nursing management practicum. The prepared booklet was distributed to each nurse manager attending the meeting: several head nurses, the director of medical/surgical nursing, and the assistant vice president for nursing. The resulting discussion provided a good summary and an opportunity for testing ideas. The interest and feedback of these nurses were very encouraging to the students. Overall, the mix of fantasy and realism provided a successful way of helping students gain a realistic view of nursing management. An understanding of and identification with the issues faced by today's nurse manager should help new graduates to appreciate and adapt to the realities of the clinical setting, regardless of their position.