Nurse Managers in a Difficult Situation on Caring Clients: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Cho, Myung Ok

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the discourses and the patterns of problem solving behaviors among the nurse managers. The focus of the study was the difficult situations in caring with patients and their families.
METHODS
Field study was performed at a for-profit hospital from March, 2004 to March, 2007. The participants of the study were 5 head nurses and 2 nurses in charge. The data were collected with iterative interviews and participant- observations. For the analysis of the data, taxonomy and critical discourse analyzing were applied.
RESULTS
The nurse mangers who showed wholistic patterns of behavior took the role of a broker among the client system, professional nursing system, medical system, and other allied health system. The nurse managers whose approach was profession-centered took the role of protector of nursing system. The nurse manager who practiced nurse-oriented pattern of behavior tried not to have harm against other members of health system. The experiences of nurse managers were effected from the discourses of patriarchal and market mechanism.
CONCLUSION
The situation that provoke conflict between clients and nurses become more common with the changes to the health care system and to society. Nurse managers take the role of these conflict problems. The successful solving of conflict in a nursing care setting promotes the quality of care and satisfaction of clients. Programs for enhancing nurse's problem solving competency should anchored be in their practices.