The problem of motivating teaching staff in a complex amalgamation

This paper addresses some of the problems brought about by the merger of a number of schools of nursing into a new complex amalgamation. A very real concern in the new colleges of nursing and midwifery in the United Kingdom is the effect of amalgamation on management systems and staff morale. The main focus of this paper is the motivation of staff during this time of change. There is currently a lack of security amongst staff and in many instances the personal job satisfaction of nurse teachers and managers of nurse education has been reduced, which has made the task of motivating staff difficult. Hence, two major theories of motivation and the implications of these theories for managers of nurse education are discussed. The criteria used for the selection of managers within the new colleges, leadership styles and organizational structures are reviewed. The amalgamations have brought about affiliation with higher-education institutions. Some problems associated with these mergers and the effects on the motivation of staff both within the higher-education institutions and the nursing colleges are outlined. Strategies for overcoming some of the problems are proposed including job enlargement, job enrichment, potential achievement rewards and the use of individual performance reviews which may be useful for assessing the ability of all staff, including managers, in the new amalgamations.