Nurse managers experiences of their leadership roles in a specific mining primary healthcare service in the West Rand

Abstract

Background Nurse managers are leaders in mining primary healthcare. Their leadership roles include inspiring and empowering operational managers and nursing personnel, by leading with competence developing them to become followers with insight and direction. However, these leadership roles are not clearly defined, and are negatively influenced by the traditional mining leadership style. Objectives The aim of this study was to explore and describe the nurse managers’ experiences of their leadership roles in a specific mining primary healthcare service on the West Rand, to develop recommendations to enhance these roles. Method A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used in this study, following a phenomenological approach as a research method. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used. Nurse managers described experiences of their leadership roles during individual phenomenological interviews. Data saturation was reached on participant number 7. To analyse data, four stages of Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological data analysis was used. An independent coder coded the data and a consensus meeting was held. The study was guided by the theoretical framework of Winkler’s role theory. Results The following subthemes emanated from data analysis: (1) leadership role ambiguity, (2) leadership roles experienced and (3) challenges experienced in leadership roles. Conclusion This study revealed that the leadership roles for nurse managers in a specific mining primary healthcare service are not clearly defined. Hence enhancements and expansions of these leadership roles remained stagnant. A clearly defined policy on leadership roles for nurse managers should be developed.

Exploring the challenges in leadership roles experienced by nurse managers in a mining primary healthcare setting in South Africa

“…Tingvoll, Saeterstrand and McClusky ( 2016 ) and Masters ( 2017 ) reported that leadership roles are increasing and cannot be achieved using inherent policies that cannot be challenged, and that is not recognising all the relevant stakeholders. The leadership role of a nurse manager in primary healthcare is to develop and update policies to ensure relevance in practice and to eradicate role ambiguity and delays that may arise from the use of incongruent policies (Jooste 2017 ; Nene et al 2020 ). Nurcahyo et al ( 2018 ) attest that the use of incongruent policies is a challenge, because they inhibit the engagement of nurse managers for the success of the organisation.…”

“…Nurse managers face challenges in leadership roles in a mining primary healthcare setting in South Africa. Banaeianjahromi and Smolander ( 2017 ) and Nene et al ( 2020 ) confirmed that these challenges experienced by nurse managers in a mining primary healthcare setting include lack of effective communication, bureaucratic mining management and union influence. Primary healthcare is a frontline service that manages the health problems at this level for all the mine workers.…”

“…Nurse managers facilitate their leadership roles by developing constructive relationships with all mining stakeholders, which create professional bonds to achieve collective goals, and benefit patient, and the mining primary healthcare setting (Vasconcelos et al 2017 ). The mining stakeholders are mine workers, unions, mining management and regulatory bodies such as the Department of Health and the Department of Minerals Resources (Chamber of Mines, South Africa 2016 ; Nene, Ally & Nkosi 2020 ).…”

The nurse’s professional identity on the Primary Health Care users perception

“…The study of the activities under the competence of the nurse also made it possible to find that the groups of participants do not understand well the role of the nurse within the nursing team and in the health care services, considering that essential assistance needs, which are not private and can be delegated, were mentioned the most. Although all nursing activities are part of the competence of nurses (7) , in regard to the social division of labor, these professionals are the leaders of the nursing team (36) . They are responsible for higher complexity assistance activities (7,10,36) , not to mention their managerial, administrative, educational and research-related competences (12,37) .…”

“…Although all nursing activities are part of the competence of nurses (7) , in regard to the social division of labor, these professionals are the leaders of the nursing team (36) . They are responsible for higher complexity assistance activities (7,10,36) , not to mention their managerial, administrative, educational and research-related competences (12,37) .…”