RESUMEN
The charge nurse role has received little attention in the nursing literature when compared with other nursing leadership positions. Although many hospitals have charge nurse position, there is a lack of clear guidelines concerning the role, competencies needed for optimum role performance, and criteria for evaluating performance. The aim of this study was to determine competencies necessary to be a successful charge nurse A descriptive study was conducted by a questionnaire comprising basic data and charge nurse competencies. The questionnaire was designed based on the literature and 61 competency statements were grouped into the following six categories: clinical/technical, planning, organizing, staffing, directing/leadership and controlling/supervision. Marquis and Huston's framework of the management process model were used to categorize the competency statements of management. The census sampling method was used to recruit the subjects. The questionnaire was returned by 96 subjects including 66 charge nurses, 20 head nurses and 10 supervisors working in selected teaching hospitals in Arak city. Data were analyzed by SPSS 13 and descriptive statistics. All competency items received mean scores of more than 4.05. The items controlling/supervision and directing/leadership were evaluated more important than staffing, planning, organizing and clinical/technical items. The results of this study provide guidelines for management development programs, training, and career planning for charge nurses, and can also provide guidelines for recruiting and selecting effective charge nurses
RESUMEN
Communication is one of the basic concepts which nursing students must learn. Nurse instructors' behaviors have key role on effective clinical education. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of situational leadership model on nursing students' communication competency. In this before-after trial, we recruited the students who had medical and surgical practicum in the second semester and summer of 1385-86 in public hospitals in Arak. They were selected randomly and then allocated to case [n=40] and control [n=35] groups. In the first week of practicum [before], we measured the students' communication competency using a self-structured questionnaire. For intervention, we defined behavioral objectives and designed a diagnosis form for identifying level of maturity and a feedback form for the students. After orientation of the students with behavioral objectives, we accompanied with main instructors based on their maturity levels in caring and applied effective leadership style. Along with the practicum period, we supervised the students' level of maturity in different nursing care skills. In the end [after], we measured the students' competency. We analyzed the data in SPSS, version 13. The results showed that there was significant difference before and after the intervention [P<0.001]. Also, there was significant difference between two groups [P<0.001]. Self-evaluation showed no significant differences between students' competency in two groups [P=0.335]. The situational leadership model would promote nursing students' communication competency