Nurse Manager Competencies Associated with Business Skills and Principles Are Compromising Stability of the Workforce

Nurse managers’ academic training and post-employment resources for developing skills required to manage local staffing needs are under-reported. Using a qualitative descriptive design, we conducted surveys to assess nurse manager perceptions of existing staffing tools, access to tools, and knowledge of their department’s unit of service, labor standard, and budgeted nonproductive time. The purpose was to determine the specific gaps in nurse manager knowledge related to determining staffing needs. Of 33 nurse manager participants, the results indicate uncertainty, or inaccurate knowledge of departmental staffing variables.