Management Nursing Theory

Management theory in nursing must encompass all aspects of patient care.

Nurse managers, or administrators, must employ theoretical models to effectively oversee quality patient care. Management theory guides the administrator in placing patients and staff, distributing work and establishing procedures, according to Barbara Stevens Barnum in "Nursing Theory"

History

Nursing Management Theory began with Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), who people universally consider the founder of modern nursing. In 1865, Nightingale began to introduce trained nurses into the workhouse systems in England and Ireland.

Development

The need for effective management grew as the number of nurses and specialized areas grew rapidly. Nursing management theory, according to Barnum, borrowed and still relies upon theories from the field of management science.

Types

There are two categories, according to Barnum, of management models: "methodological," which is an abstract approach, wherein the emphasis is on logistics, dialectics, problem solving and operations The "subject matter" approach is a concrete approach, wherein the emphasis is on organizational structure, managerial processes, management content and managerial perspective.

Function

The nurse manager, when adapting a theoretical model, must choose one that is compatible with the nursing environment (ER, Public/Community, OR, etc.), is useful in managing patient care and addresses the relationships between manager and staff.

Considerations

Barnum argues that the manager must be consistent in the application of theory and the demands that she places on the staff. A consistently applied model will facilitate, not hinder, theory-based nursing practice.

References

• "Nursing Theory"; Barbara Stevens Barnum; 1990