Challenges of the health care unit manager as leader-manager in the 21st century, the Quantum Age

• Main Author: Smal, Elmarie
• Other Authors: Potgieter, Eugené
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Health care unit manager; Challenges; Leadership; Management; Leader; Manager; Leader-manager; Quantum Age; quantum skills; 362.1730680968; Health services administration > South Africa; Health services administrators > South Africa; Health facilities > South Africa > Administration; Nursing services > South Africa > Administration; Health facilities > South Africa > Personnel management; Nursing services > South Africa > Personnel management
• Online Access: Smal, Elmarie (2013) Challenges of the health care unit manager as leader-manager in the 21st century, the Quantum Age, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/14469>; http://hdl.handle.net/10500/14469

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was conducted to explore health care unit managers’ view of their role as leader-managers, and to determine the challenges they experience and the skills they need to be effective leader-managers in the 21st century, the Quantum Age. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight health care unit managers from a selected public hospital in the Western Cape Province. The findings revealed that health care unit managers experience workforce challenges, with staff shortage being a serious concern; personal challenges, such as an increased workload and role diversity; and organisational challenges with regard to the management of equipment. Desired attributes and skills for leader-managers as indicated by unit managers concur with Shelton’s (1999) Quantum Skills Model. Recommendations were made for nursing practice, education and research, including recommendations on the development of the seven quantum skills. === Health Studies === M.A. (Health Studies)