Staffing the unit with nurses: the role of nurse managers
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Emerald Publishing Limited
Abstract
Purpose – To explore the staffing practices of nurse managers at the unit.
Design/methodology/approach – Introduction: Ensuring that units are staffed with adequate nurses to
render quality nursing care to clients has become increasingly challenging for most hospitals. There is
growing evidence linking best patient outcomes and fewer adverse events to the presence of nurses at
the bedside. Hospitals require to attract and retain nurses in the units to address the issues of quality,
staff and patient safety. Methods: The study used a descriptive phenomenological design to purposively
select 15 nurse managers (NMs) and 47 nurses for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions
respectively.
Findings – The study found that the demand for nurses to work in the unit was not scientific. Nurses affirmed
their frustration of inadequate numbers of staff in the unit especially, at the periphery hospitals. Time can be
used as a source of motivation for nurses and nurses should be involved in the development of the duty roster to
enable effective compliance. Compensation for additional duties is relevant in nursing.
Research limitations/implications – The research was carried only in one region in Ghana, and the
findings may not be the same in the other regions.
Practical implications – Inadequate staffing level has serious implications on patient safety, quality of care
and staff outcomes. This situation necessitates the implementation of health sector staffing norms to ensure the
right calibre of mix staff are recruited and retained.
Originality/value – This study is the first in Ghana that we aware of that explore staffing practices at the unit
that identifies factors that impact staff schedules for effective care.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Staffing practices, Nurse managers, Work unit, Qualitative method