The challenges of nurse management at the University Clinical Center of Kosova

Abstract

The role of the nurse manager is complex and requires advanced skills when communicating with patients and their families, nurses, doctors, other health and allied workers as well as superiors. This paper analyzes the challenges of nurse management at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. The authors interviewed 30 senior nurse managers. Although in a large percentage (90%) are a part of a planning for the future in respective clinics, nurse managers were never involved in writing treatment protocols. The majority of the managers reported absolute or partial intrusion of the hospital management and doctors in performing their daily duties. Paid leave as an award and change of the assignment as a penalty, are the only instruments in the hand of nurse managers to motivate or sanction nurses. Almost half of the managers do not know how their performance is evaluated by the superiors, while every fourth of the nurse managers do not agree with the evaluation. Majority is satisfied with the public image of the profession. The difficulties that nurse managers are facing are mainly linked to the poor definition of their position and roles, but also at the poor exercise of the delegated competencies.