Managers' Micro-Communities Matter: The Impact of Clinical Supervision Team on Therapist Perception of the Organization.

Positive organizational climate - employee perceptions of their work environment and the impact of this environment on well-being and functioning - is associated with desirable organizational and client-level outcomes in mental health organizations. Clinical supervisors are well-positioned to impact organizational climate, as they serve as intermediaries between higher-level administrators who drive the policies and procedures and the therapists impacted by such decisions. This cross-sectional study examined the role of clinical supervisors as drivers of therapist perceptions of organizational climate within supervisory teams. Specifically, the present study investigated: (1) shared perceptions of organizational climate among therapists on the same supervisory team; (2) predictors of therapist climate perceptions. Eighty-six therapists were supervised by 22 supervisors. Indices of interrater agreement and interrater reliability of therapists on the same supervisory team were examined to determine shared or distinct perceptions of organizational climate. Multi-level models were used to examine whether supervisor attitudes towards evidence-based practices and therapist perceptions of supervisor communication predicted perceived organizational climate. Results showed perceptions of organizational cohesion and autonomy were shared among therapists on the same supervisory team and distinct from therapists on different supervisory teams. Therapist perceptions of their supervisor's communication was positively associated with perceptions of organizational cohesion and autonomy. These findings align with emerging evidence that middle managers shape their employees' experience of their work environment through communication strategies. These findings also point to the potential for intervening at lower organizational levels to improve overall organizational climate.

Moral distress in nurse leaders-A scoping review of the literature.

Nurse leaders face immense organizational pressures exacerbating their distress, which has not been prioritized as much as frontline nurses. This review synthesized the literature to examine theoretical models, measures, contributing factors, outcomes, and coping strategies related to moral distress in nurse leaders. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched, and 15 articles-2 quantitative and 13 qualitative studies were extracted. The scoping review identified one study using a theoretical model and two measures-the ethical dilemmas questionnaire and the Brazilian moral distress scale. Contributing factors of moral distress include internal and organizational constraints, increased workload, and lack of support impacting physical and emotional well-being and intention to quit. This review did not yield any intervention studies emphasizing the need for research to identify specific predictors of moral distress and examine their relationship to nurse leader retention, so organizations can explore targeted interventions to promote coping and mitigate distress.

Decision-Making Styles and Managerial Creativity of Nursing Managers in Saudi Arabia: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: Nursing managers as responsible personnel are required to think outside the box in order to make useful decisions using an appropriate style in a creative manner. This study aims to investigate the relationship between nursing managers' decision-making styles and managerial creativity. (2) Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 245 managers in five large government hospitals using self-administered questionnaires on managerial creativity and general decision-making styles. (3) Results: A significant relationship was found between rational, avoidant, and dependent styles and total managerial creativity. A positive correlation was present between the rational style and total managerial creativity and a negative correlation was found between avoidant, dependent, and spontaneous styles and total managerial creativity. According to a regression analysis, the rational style has a positive effect on managerial creativity, whereas the dependent and avoidant styles have a negative effect. (4) Conclusions: The majority of nursing managers in various hospitals throughout the kingdom are creative and almost all use rational and dependent decision-making styles, which are significantly related to managerial creativity. Thus, it is important to continue to conduct training programs on decision-making styles, especially the rational, dependent, and avoidant styles, for the top-, middle-, and low-level managers.

Deriving Public Innovation Capacity: Evidence From the Korean Public Sector.

By actively coping with changes, a government providing public services can also improve the quality of those public services and help citizens improve their quality of life in the face of rapidly changing social structures, environments, and values. Accordingly, this study will typologize public innovation capacity (PIC) in terms of the individual, middle manager, and organizational levels. This study typologizes public innovation capacity in terms of the individual, middle manager, and organizational levels through mini-round Delphi analysis and exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis using survey. This capacity is a precondition of the specificity of the public sector (generating public interest by providing public services) and universal value of HR (human resource) research (creating performance). It provides the basic capacity within the public sector to enhance the quality of public services and create positive outcomes.

Healthcare middle managers' experiences of developing capacity and capability: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare middle managers play a central role in reducing harm, improving patient safety, and strengthening the quality of healthcare. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the present knowledge and critically discuss how healthcare middle managers experienced to develop the capacity and capability for leadership in a healthcare system characterized by high complexity. METHODS: This comprehensive systematic review provided evidence of healthcare middle managers' experiences in developing the capacity and capability for leadership in public healthcare. The three-step literature search was based on six databases and led by a PICo question. The review had a critical hermeneutic perspective and was based on an a priori published, protocol. The methods were inspired by the Joanna Briggs Institute and techniques from Kvale and Brinkmann. The results were illustrated by effect size, inspired by Sandelowski and Barroso. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies from four continents and multiple contexts (hospitals and municipal healthcare) published from January 2005-February 2019 were included. Based on experiences from 482 healthcare middle managers, 2 main themes, each with 2 subthemes, were identified, and from these, a meta-synthesis was developed: Healthcare middle managers develop capacity and capability through personal development processes empowered by context. The main themes included the following: 1. personal development of capacity and capability and 2. a need for contextual support. From a critical hermeneutic perspective, contrasts were revealed between how healthcare middle managers experienced the development of their capacity and capability and what they experienced as their typical work situation. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides evidence of the need for a changed approach in healthcare in relation to criticisms of present organizational structures and management methods and suggestions for how to strengthen healthcare middle managers' capacity and capability for leadership in a healthcare system characterized by high complexity. Evidence of how leadership development affected the clinical context and, thus, the quality of healthcare was found to be a field requiring further research. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018084670.

Tomada de decisão em hospitais de ensino: entre formalismo e síntese intuitiva / Toma de decisión en hospitales universitarios: entre formalismo y síntesis intuitiva / Decision-making in teaching hospitals: between formalism and intuitive synthesis

Resumo Este estudo de caso múltiplo teve por objetivo analisar como o middle manager (MM), a partir de seus papéis estratégicos, associa as decisões racionais e intuitivas no processo de tomada de decisão estratégica (TDE) em hospitais públicos de ensino (HPE). Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevista e análise de documentos. A análise de dados ocorreu considerando os elementos constitutivos: racionalidade; síntese intuitiva; e middle manager. Constatamos que, quando o MM articula com o topo da organização, assume os papéis de defensor e sintetizador, aflorando as decisões racionais. Quando articula com a base, desempenha os papéis de facilitador e implementador, emergindo as decisões intuitivas. Como contribuição, apresentamos as dimensões objetivas e (inter)subjetivas no processo de TDE, evidenciando a complexidade dos papéis estratégicos do MM em situações deliberadas e emergentes nos HPE.

Resumen Este estudio de caso múltiple tuvo como objetivo analizar cómo el middle manager (MM), a partir de sus papeles estratégicos, asocia las decisiones racionales e intuitivas en el proceso de toma de decisión estratégica (TDE) en hospitales públicos universitarios (HPU). Los datos se recolectaron a través de entrevistas y análisis de documentos. El análisis de datos consideró los elementos constitutivos: racionalidad, síntesis intuitiva y middle manager. Se constató que cuando el MM articula con la cima de la organización asume los papeles de defensor y sintetizador y afloran decisiones racionales. Cuando articula con la base desempeña los papeles de facilitador e implementador y emergen decisiones intuitivas. Como contribución, se presentan las dimensiones objetivas e intersubjetivas en el proceso de TDE, lo que evidencia la complejidad de los roles estratégicos del MM en situaciones deliberadas y emergentes en los HPU.

Abstract This multiple-case study analyzes how middle managers (MM), from their strategic roles, associate rational and intuitive decisions in the strategic decision-making process (SDM) in public teaching hospitals (PTH). Data was collected through interview and document analysis. Data analysis occurred through constitutive elements of analysis: rationality, intuitive synthesis, and middle managers. The research found that, when articulating with the organization's upper management, the MM takes the roles of synthesizing information and championing alternatives, emphasizing rational decisions. When articulating with the lower-level management, the MM plays the roles of facilitating and implementing deliberate strategy, emphasizing intuitive decisions. As a contribution to the field, the study presents the objective and inter-subjective dimensions in the SDM process, evidencing the complexity of the strategic roles of the MM in deliberate and emergent situations in PTH.

Middle managers' role in implementing evidence-based practices in healthcare: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Middle managers are in a unique position to promote the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in healthcare organizations, yet knowledge of middle managers' role in implementation and determinants (e.g., individual-, organizational-, and system-level factors) which influence their role remains fractured, spanning decades and disciplines. To synthesize understanding, we undertook a systematic review of studies of middle managers' role in healthcare EBP implementation and determinants of that role. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE/PubMed and Business Source Complete (Ebsco) for literature on middle managers' role in healthcare EBP implementation and its determinants. We abstracted data from records that met inclusion criteria (i.e., written in English, peer-reviewed, and reporting either a protocol or results of an empirical study) into a matrix for analysis. We summarized categorical variables using descriptive statistics. To analyze qualitative data, we used a priori codes and then allowed additional themes to emerge. RESULTS: One hundred five records, spanning across several countries and healthcare settings and relating to a range of EBPs, met our inclusion criteria. Studies of middle managers' role in healthcare EBP implementation and its determinants substantially increased from 1996 to 2015. Results from included studies suggest that middle managers shape implementation climate in addition to fulfilling the four roles hypothesized in extant theory of middle managers' role in implementation. However, extant studies offered little understanding of determinants of middle managers' role. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that middle managers may play an important role in facilitating EBP implementation. Included studies offered little understanding regarding the relative importance of various roles, potential moderators of the relationship between middle managers' roles and EBP implementation, or determinants of middle managers' role in EBP implementation. Future studies should seek to understand determinants and moderators of middle managers' role. Clearer understanding may facilitate the translation of evidence into practice.

Healthcare middle managers` experiences developing leadership capacity and capability in a public funded learning network.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare middle managers (HMMs) have, as the leaders closest to clinical practice, a crucial position in healthcare today. There is broad knowledge about the demands on HMMs' capacity, their situation in general, and the challenges this presents for the improvement of healthcare quality. There is less knowledge about how to facilitate HMMs` capacity and capability with regard to their leadership and how to handle this in a complex context. The purpose of this study was to identify and discuss the facilitation of HMMs' development of capacity and capability for leadership. METHOD: A critical hermeneutic design was chosen. Data were collected through three focus group interviews with Norwegian HMMs who participated in a learning network. A user representative (from among the recipients of public healthcare), involved in the same learning network, participated in all three interviews. A qualitative interpretive approach guided the analysis. RESULTS: The results show two main themes: 1. Trusted interaction despite organizational and structural frames and 2. Knowledgeable understanding of a complex context. CONCLUSION: This learning network facilitated HMMs` development of capacity and capability for leadership. The development included a combination of understanding the complex context, knowledge, trust, and confidence. The approaches in the learning network were based on transformative learning, coherence, reflection, discussion, repetition, knowledge sharing, and short lectures. These approaches can be recommended for the facilitation and support of HMMs.

Associations among unit leadership and unit climates for implementation in acute care: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nurse managers have a pivotal role in fostering unit climates supportive of implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in care delivery. EBP leadership behaviors and competencies of nurse managers and their impact on practice climates are widely overlooked in implementation science. The purpose of this study was to examine the contributions of nurse manager EBP leadership behaviors and nurse manager EBP competencies in explaining unit climates for EBP implementation in adult medical-surgical units. METHODS: A multi-site, multi-unit cross-sectional research design was used to recruit the sample of 24 nurse managers and 553 randomly selected staff nurses from 24 adult medical-surgical units from 7 acute care hospitals in the Northeast and Midwestern USA. Staff nurse perceptions of nurse manager EBP leadership behaviors and unit climates for EBP implementation were measured using the Implementation Leadership Scale and Implementation Climate Scale, respectively. EBP competencies of nurse managers were measured using the Nurse Manager EBP Competency Scale. Participants were emailed a link to an electronic questionnaire and asked to respond within 1 month. The contributions of nurse manager EBP leadership behaviors and competencies in explaining unit climates for EBP implementation were estimated using mixed-effects models controlling for nurse education and years of experience on current unit and accounting for the variability across hospitals and units. Significance level was set at α < .05. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-four staff nurses and 22 nurse managers were included in the final sample, representing 22 units in 7 hospitals. Nurse manager EBP leadership behaviors (p < .001) and EBP competency (p = .008) explained 52.4% of marginal variance in unit climate for EBP implementation. Leadership behaviors uniquely explained 45.2% variance. The variance accounted for by the random intercepts for hospitals and units (p < .001) and years of nursing experience in current unit (p < .05) were significant but level of nursing education was not. CONCLUSION: Nurse managers are significantly related to unit climates for EBP implementation primarily through their leadership behaviors. Future implementation studies should consider the leadership of nurse managers in creating climates supportive of EBP implementation.

Ethical challenges for medical professionals in middle manager positions: a debate article.

BACKGROUND: Demographic changes increase the financing needs of all social services. This change also generates new and complex demands on the medical staff. Accordingly, medical professionals in middle management positions hold a characteristic sandwich position between top management and the operational core. This sandwich position often constitutes new challenges. In the industrial field, the growing importance of the middle management for the company's success has already been recognized. Accordingly, the growing demand on economy urges an analysis for the medical field. DISCUSSION: While there are nearly no differences in the nature of the tasks of medical middle manager in the areas of strategy, role function, performance pressure and qualifications compared to those tasks of the industrial sector, there are basic differences as well. Especially the character of "independence" of the medical profession and its ethical values justifies these differences. Consequently, qualification of medical professionals may not be solely based on medical academic career. It is also based on the personal ability or potential to lead and to manage. SUMMARY: Above all, the character of "independence" of the medical profession and its ethical values justifies medical action that is based on the patient's well-being and not exclusively on economic outcomes. In the future, medical middle managers are supposed to achieve an optimized balance between a patient-centered medicine and economic measures. It will be a basic requirement that middle managers accept their position and the resultant tasks putting themselves in a more active position. Because of that, middle managers can become "value-added bridge-builders".

Nurse middle manager ethical dilemmas and moral distress.

BACKGROUND: Nurse managers are placed in a unique position within the healthcare system where they greatly impact upon the nursing work environment. Ethical dilemmas and moral distress have been reported for staff nurses but not for nurse middle managers. OBJECTIVE: To describe ethical dilemmas and moral distress among nurse middle managers arising from situations of ethical conflict. METHODS: The Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing-Middle Manager Questionnaire and a personal characteristics questionnaire were administered to a convenience sample of middle managers from four hospitals in Israel. RESULTS: Middle managers report low to moderate levels of frequency and intensity of ethical dilemmas and moral distress. Highest scores were for administrative dilemmas. CONCLUSION: Middle managers experience lower levels of ethical dilemmas and moral distress than staff nurses, which are irrespective of their personal characteristics. Interventions should be developed, studied, and then incorporated into institutional frameworks in order to improve this situation.

Importance and performance of managerial skills in the Australian aged care sector - a middle managers' perspective.

AIM: This study examined the importance and performance of middle managers' skills to provide a starting point for a sector-wide leadership and management framework. BACKGROUND: There is an increasing consensus that the quality of management, leadership and performance of any organisation is directly linked to the capabilities of its middle managers and the preparation and on-going training they receive. METHOD: A total of 199 middle managers from three aged care organisations in Australia participated in a questionnaire conducted during 2010-2011. RESULT: This study found that middle managers perceived the need to develop their communication skills, self-awareness, change management, conflict resolution and leadership skills. CONCLUSION: Middle managers perceive a discrepancy between performance and importance of various managerial skills. This study demonstrated that provision of training needs to go beyond clinical skills development and further investigation into managers' needs is necessary, particularly considering the diversity of this critical group in organisations. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Future training opportunities provided to middle managers need to address the 'softer' skills (e.g. communication) rather than 'technical' skills (e.g. clinical skills). The provision of training in these skills may improve their performance, which may also lead to increased job satisfaction, continuity in leadership and management and ultimately improvements in the quality of care provided.