Delegation as experienced by nurse managers

Abstract

Introduction: Since it is impossible to carry out working and organizational activities effectively without trust, managers are recommended to expand trust atmosphere throughout their organizations due to its effect on all human's communication aspects and to enhance appearance of manpower talents. Delegation of authority leads to promotion of trust throughout organization and it would be the best tool in the managers' hands to prove the trust to their personnel. Therefore, it is the nurse managers' responsibility to have adequate knowledge of delegation and to apply it. Unfortunately, no comprehensive research has been carried out in this field in Iran yet, and there is an information gap in this field. The goal of this study was to determine the delegation as experienced by nurse mangers.

Methods: This study was a type of phenomenological qualitative research, which was carried out in four selected subordinates of Esfahan University of Medical Sciences in March/June 2001. The sample size of this research consisted of 14 managers as the information sources from three different ranks of superior level (matron), mid-level (supervisor) and executive level (head nurse), who all underwent unstructured interviews as the data collecting technique for this study. The obtained results were analyzed using Colaizzi method.

Results: Nurse managers had three forms of experiences on delegation phenomenon that were as the following: lack of authority for delegation and frustration experiences, delegation in minor affairs, and relatively full delegation with superior's sporadic unessential interference while neither of them was perfectly acquainted with this phenomenon. Managers experienced benefits in four dimensions as benefits concerning superiors, subordinates, hospitals and patients. Experienced barriers were barriers pertaining to superiors, subordinates and situation.

Conclusion: In order to apply art and skill of delegation much better in nursing management, it is necessary not only for all nurse managers to get acquainted with delegation through in service education, also for nursing students as the future nurse managers to become familiar with this field in nursing faculties. Thus, the attitude of delegation could be diffused in nursing management. Of course, a change in the attitude of matrons and superiors seems to be essential in this regard. It also should be mentioned that more qualitative and quantitative researches in this field are warranted.