Comparing nurse managers and nurses' perceptions of nurses' self-leadership during capacity building

Abstract

Aims: This paper compares the perceptions of nurse managers and nurses about self-leadership of professional nurses while taking ownership of capacity building during unit management.

Background: The Nursing Strategy for South Africa states that the competency of nurses is dependent upon factors that lead to capacity building.

Method: A quantitative design was followed by conducting a survey. The target population included nurse managers and professional nurses working at an academic public hospital in the Gauteng Province of South Africa.

Results: The findings indicate shortcomings in relation to advising professional nurses about self-direction while taking ownership of their daily pressures and stresses associated with unit management.

Conclusion: Professional nurses should develop their confidence by focusing on their self-leadership strengths when managing a unit.

Implications for nurse managers: Recommendations are made to promote self-leadership while taking ownership of nurses during capacity building of unit management.

Keywords: capacity building; nurse managers; ownership; self-leadership; unit management.