Motivations, contradictions and ambiguities in the leadership of nurses in management positions in a university hospital

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the contradictions and ambiguities which permeate nurses' motivation for exercising leadership in management positions, in a university hospital. Method: this study has a qualitative approach and is exploratory and descriptive, and used a total of 33 semi-structured interviews which were submitted to thematic analysis. Results: the information converged on five categories: Motivation to take on a management position; The view of nursing managers on the exercising of leadership; The emblematic aspect of working with people; Leadership in nursing -mediatory and conciliatory; Time: a dilemma between managing and caring. Conclusion: leading people can be both a great encouragement, and an impeding aspect, bearing in mind the nuances of teamwork and the complexity of the context in which this process is constructed. In addition to this, conciliatory and mediatory attitudes are shown to be fundamental for a healthy and productive organizational atmosphere; however, the lack of time was indicated as a dilemma between managing and caring. the preservation of anonymity, and the right of free participation was assured, without this being able to lead to embarrassment or any prejudice to the participants. Results and DiscussionThe surveying, exploration and interpretation of the material resulted in five categories, described below.

Leadership Practices in Hospital Nursing: A Self of Manager Nurses

“…Therefore, regarding the nurse professional of this scenario, the requirements have been related to the care and management skills required in their work. In this sense, leadership is considered a relevant skill for the achievement of the collective and organizational goals of the work organization (1) . Nurses, who are born leaders of the nursing team, should work their potentialities in order to develop the necessary skills related to leadership, particularly in the performance of the communication process and the development of a supportive environment for the exercise of leadership, leading to an improvement in the role model and management style of the nurse in different organizations (2) .…”

Atribuições e competências de gerentes de enfermagem: pesquisa descritiva exploratória

“…Monetizing resources means reviewing work practices and processes to ensure continuous and good quality care at a lower price so that professionals can perform their actions without harming themselves and the patients they care for (14) Teaching is also an assignment of nursing managers. HEs have a commitment to offer health services and at the same time act as an extension of the university for the training of professionals (15) . However, the reports presented are not clear in relation to concern with the formative process of the academics and their personal development, or with the creation of learning environments and only highlighted the search for partnerships with educational institutions and the adaption of the students to the routine already established in the hospital.…”

Comparison between the working environment of nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context

“…It is also essential that the manager has the ability to coordinate the nursing team, seeking to recognize and meet their needs to ensure favorable working conditions that promote job satisfaction. Thus, they are expected to have knowledge on the management process in health and nursing, leadership ability and capacity to handle the responsibilities and duties of the position (1,3) .…”

“…This can make a manager's daily routine challenging and stressful, which discourages many professionals from taking up these positions. Moreover, nurses in exclusive leadership positions experience polarization between management and care, since in addition to the well-known managerial assignments, there is no consensus on the ideal level of involvement in nursing assistant activities (1,3) .…”