COGNITIVE STRUCTURES OF FIRST-LINE NURSE MANAGERS IN CRITICAL CARE SETTINGS.
Contributors: University of Washington.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 205
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Industrial.; Business Administration, Management.
Description: The purpose of the study was to depict, analyze and describe the cognitive structures of nurse managers in a way which might reveal new information about the behavioral contingencies that are important to effective nursing management practice. This research was grounded on the proposition that the internal cognitive structures (cause maps) nurse managers acquire through experience provide frameworks for action with regard to developing patterns of relationships, structures, and processes within clinical nursing units.

The specific aims of this exploratory, descriptive study were: (a) To generate, analyze and describe the cause maps which depict the causality relations in the individual job related concept structures identified by selected nurse managers in critical care units, and (b) to examine the maps' content and relational structures from a summative perspective to identify and describe content themes and relational patterns across all participants.

Within a phenomenological framework, cognitive mapping techniques were used to elicit, analyze, and describe the cause maps of a selected group of critical care nurse managers. Eighteen participants completed a semi-structured interview and a structured interview to elicit and rank the concepts of concern to them in their work-lives. Then they completed a questionnaire designed to elicit their perceptions of the cause and effect relationships among the concepts of concern. In depth analysis of data from selected individual nurse managers revealed the salient features of their work-lives and the different types of cause maps guiding their practice. The summative analysis revealed commonalities which suggest a core structure of concepts and their attendant causality patterns within the social territory of critical care nurse management practice. This core structure includes: optimizing professional practice, enacting the care-giving culture, and facilitating the care-giving process. Analysis of the content and causality patterns of the individual participants revealed much variation in priorities for attention and in cause-effect linkages. This finding supports the contingency view of management practice. Knowledge gained from the interpretation of the findings can enhance understanding of nursing management practice, contribute to the development of theories of nursing administration, and stimulate further nursing systems research.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-11, Section: B, page: 4789.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1994.

School code: 0250.