Challenges of the health care unit manager as leader-manager in the 21st century, the Quantum Age
Smal, Elmarie
A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was conducted to explore
health care unit managers’ view of their role as leader-managers, and to determine the
challenges they experience and the skills they need to be effective leader-managers in
the 21st century, the Quantum Age. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with
eight health care unit managers from a selected public hospital in the Western Cape
Province. The findings revealed that health care unit managers experience workforce
challenges, with staff shortage being a serious concern; personal challenges, such as
an increased workload and role diversity; and organisational challenges with regard to
the management of equipment. Desired attributes and skills for leader-managers as
indicated by unit managers concur with Shelton’s (1999) Quantum Skills Model.
Recommendations were made for nursing practice, education and research, including
recommendations on the development of the seven quantum skills.
↧