J Korean Acad Nurs.  2004 Dec;34(8):1416-1426.

The Role Adaptation Process of Head Nurses in the General Hospitals

• Kang SR

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the role adaptation process experienced by head nurses. METHODS: Data were collected from 10 head nurses with in-depth interviews about their actual experiences. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed. The collected data were analyzed by the grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin. RESULTS: The core category was identified as "weighing and balancing," and the role adaptation process was divided into six stages by time sequence: inquiring, approaching to others, bringing people into their fold, working with conviction, avoiding conflicts, and settling. CONCLUSION: The results of this study yield useful information for top mangers of nursing to identify, by stages, the demands of the head nurses in their role adaptation process. The findings of this study contributes to developing programs that facilitates the head nurses' role adaptation.

Keyword

Role; Adaptation; Process

MeSH Terms

*Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
*Attitude of Health Personnel/ethnology
Avoidance Learning
Conflict (Psychology)
Female
*Hospitals, General/organization & administration
Humans
Interprofessional Relations
Korea
Leadership
Models, Nursing
Models, Psychological
Needs Assessment
Nurse Administrators/education/organization & administration/*psychology
*Nurse's Role
Nursing Methodology Research
Nursing Staff, Hospital/organization & administration/psychology
Nursing, Supervisory/organization & administration
Philosophy, Nursing
Power (Psychology)
Professional Competence/standards
Qualitative Research
Questionnaires
Self Efficacy