Span of Control in Front-Line Nurse Managers.
10.11111/jkana.2017.23.4.373
- Author:
Ae lee CHOI
1
;
Miyoung KIM
;
Sujin CHOI
;
Chong Mo KOO
Author Information
1. Graduate School, Ewha Womans University, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Personnel management;
Workload;
Nurse managers
- MeSH:
Administrative Personnel;
Humans;
Korea;
Nurse Administrators*;
Nursing;
Nursing Staff;
Personnel Management;
Tertiary Care Centers
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
2017;23(4):373-384
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Span of Control defines the scope of the managers' responsibilities to manage nursing staff. This study was done to measure span of control of front-line nurse managers (FLNMs) in Korea hospitals resulting in improvement in their work efficiency. METHODS: A sample of 203 FLNMs from five tertiary hospitals was recruited and completed the questionnaires. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé, and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: FLNMs had ‘narrow’ (n=8, 4.3%), ‘appropriate’ (n=161, 87.0%), and ‘wide’ (n=16, 8.6%) span of control. Span of control had significant correlations with the number of nurses (r=.63, p<.001), the number of non-nurses (r=.53, p<.001), units (r=.52, p<.001), staff (r=.83, p<.001), and programs (r=.67, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The research findings indicate that attention should be given to unit complexity, program diversity, total staff, and skills. Moreover, administrators of hospital and nursing departments need to provide systematic support in accordance with FLNMs’ wide span of control.
