Assessing the Hospital Nurse Managers’ Competencies in Saudi Arabia

Aim: The purpose of this research is to assess the competencies of the nurse managers from different hospital units in a university tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Nurses are among the largest and most critical constituents in the health systems. It is essential that they manage and are managed to guarantee sustainable and efficient delivery of health care. Recent literatures showed that nurses appear to be significantly more dissatisfied with their work and their managers raises questions about a potential gap in nursing leadership and management.

Methods: The study utilized cross-sectional approach to determine the competencies of nurse managers using Chase Nurse Manager Competency Instrument. Sixty-five nurses in managerial positions were conveniently selected. Aside from managerial positions, the respondents are licensed nurses and have at least 1-year clinical experience in their recent assigned units. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 23.0.

Results: The respondents as considered 52 out of 53 knowledge competencies as contributing significantly to effectiveness for nurse manager competence. Only Financial resource procurement registered a value of 2.95. As for the ability to implement and use competencies, only three competencies: cost benefit analysis (2.97), operational and capital budget forecasting and generation (2.85), and financial resource procurement (2.85) registered values less than 3. The other fifty competencies are considered by the respondents to contribute significantly to an effective nurse manager.

Conclusion: To be effective nurse mangers, they should be knowledgeable and equipped with following skills: collaboration, communication, staffing, decision-making, and delegation. However, financial resource procurement demonstrates a moderate contribution to effective nurse manager unlike the other competencies which demonstrates high contribution for effectiveness of nursing manager competency. Implications for nursing management: healthcare organizations can use the study results to ensure that all nursing mangers have the necessary skills for effective nurse manger to achieve healthy working environment and deliver safe and high quality care for their patients.