A Profile of the Structure and Impact of Nursing Management in Canadian Hospitals

Authors

Heather K. Spence Laschinger, University of Western OntarioFollow
Carol A. Wong, University of Western OntarioFollow
Judith Ritchie, McGill University
Danielle D'Amour, University of Montreal
Leslie Vincent, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON
Piotr Wilk, Middlesex-London Health Unit, London, ON
Marjorie Armstrong Stassen, University of Windsor
Sue Matthews, Canada Victoria Order of Nurses
Marcy Saxe-Braithwaite, Providence Continuing Care Centre, Kingston, ON
Doris Grinspun, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario
Judith Shamian, Canada Victoria Order of Nurses
Amy McCutcheon, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Vancouver, BC
Michael Kerr, University of Western OntarioFollow
Sandra Macdonald-Rencz, Health Canada
Barbara Oke, Health Canada
Donna Denney, Nova Scotia Department of Health, Halifax, NS
Jerry White, University of Western OntarioFollow
Joan Almost, University of Toronto

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Journal

Longwoods Review

Volume

6

Issue

1

First Page

85

Last Page

94

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the profile of nursing leadership structures in Canada and to assess relationships among structures, processes and outcomes pertaining to nurse leaders' work. Data were collected from nurse leaders in 28 academic health centres and 38 community hospitals in 10 Canadian provinces (n = 1,164). The results of this study revealed that the current contingent of nursing leaders in Canada see themselves as an empowered and influential group within their organizations. Despite very large spans of control, nurse leaders at all levels were positive about their work life and confident in their ability to provide effective leadership on nursing affairs within their organizations. Structural and process factors significantly affected nurse manager outcomes at all levels. Senior nurse leaders' work-life factors had a significant effect on middle and first-line managers' perceptions of patient care quality in the organization. Nurse leaders averaged 49 years of age highlighting the need for succession planning.