Abstract:

The competencies of a Nurse Manager act as the main generator of competitive advantage, by impacting on the dynamics of organisations. The main purpose of this study is to identify how the rank of Nurse Managers affects the results of an organisation, on the basis of nurse managers` role in several health organisations. A qualitative approach is chosen, resorting to the interview based on the experience of 6 nurse managers from integrated and non-integrated health organisations in mainland Portugal. The results suggest that, within the context of the different organisations (integrated and non-integrated), the competencies of Nurse Managers add efficiency to the way management is undertaken, given the available resources and streamlining operations, as far as care provision to users is concerned. The study aims to determine whether nurse managers have the necessary competences to carry out their duties. The results contribute to the current literature on the theme, since there are few studies on management competencies in nursing.