NURSING DEPARTMENT CHAIRS' ROLE IN THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF THEIR UNITS IN PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION.
Contributors: University of Northern Colorado.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 242
Subjects: Education, Administration.; Education, Higher.
Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the fiscal management role of baccalaureate nursing department chairpersons in public higher education nationally. A questionnaire was designed to answer the research questions. Sixty-seven mailed returns or 71.3% of the population (N = 94) were utilized for purposes of data analysis.

Specifically, the research questions were the following: (a) What is the role of nursing chairs in fiscal management? (b) What are chairs' perceptions about fiscal management? and (c) Are there significant differences in chairs' perceptions, training needs, budgeting strategies, and the extent of their involvement and control of fiscal affairs?.

The following represent the most important findings and their implications: (1) Nursing chairpersons are actively involved in budgeting activities at their institutions particularly in the areas of controlling/monitoring of resources, providing written justification for funding and assuring a balanced budget. However, chairs have little decision making authority. (2) Almost 80% of the chairs were particularly interested in information regarding strategies to increase revenues. This assessment is important information for chairs' supervisors. (3) A majority of the nursing chairs perceived that their supervisors and institutions supported their budget requests and were concerned that their goals be met. These feelings of support are significant if undergraduate nursing programs are to remain fiscally viable in higher education. (4) Three specific training experiences, including on-the-job training, a planned experience with a mentor administrator, and inservice were associated with the most positive results. They were significantly related to more favorable perceptions, fewer specific training needs, and/or a greater number and specific kind of strategies used to increase revenues or decrease expenses. The design of training experiences for chairs, therefore, might consider these results. (5) Finally, chairs in research and teaching institutions and/or programs had more positive feelings about financial management, used more strategies to increase revenues specifically the strategy of increased fund raising drives, and had fewer training needs. These findings suggest that the research and teaching institution environment may particularly enhance the development of the fiscal capabilities of its chairpersons.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-03, Section: A, page: 0385.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO, 1987.

School code: 0161.