THE LIBERAL ARTS AND NURSING PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, 1939-1956: A STUDY OF LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES (MAINE).
Contributors: University of Maine.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 162
Subjects: Education, Administration.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This descriptive historical study examines a Liberal Arts and Nursing cooperative program at the University of Maine which existed from 1939-1956. The specific focus is on leadership behavior and organizational structure and how these variables affected the development and life of the program. The study is in the form of an interpretative narrative of the philosophical and operational aspects of the nursing program. The historical research was conducted through the use of primary and secondary sources from the Fogler Library at the University of Maine; the Nursing Archives, Mugar Memorial Library, Boston University, Boston; Central Maine Medical Hospital Library Archives; Eastern Maine Medical Center Library Archives; and Maine Medical Center Library Archives.

The historical time frame includes post-depression America and World War II and the post-war years up to 1956. In order to understand the times, research in the areas of women and higher education, hospital structure and economics, and the national nursing education agenda was conducted. Data analysis utilized qualitative research methods.

Findings supported that the university administrators of the nursing program failed to take into account the importance of working with all constituency groups. In particular, the national group of nurse educators were waging a war against the lack of control nurses had in administering and leading programs. The university administrators, in line with bureaucratic thinking, continued to listen to the hospital administrator group and not nursing in regard to what was best for the nursing profession. Accreditation was the means to gain control and was utilized effectively by nursing. The study underscores the value and necessity of leaders to know and evaluate the weight of various constituency groups and to understand clearly the political climate.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-08, Section: A, page: 2228.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, 1994.

School code: 0113.