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Handbook for first-line Nurse Managers
AOHN J O U R N A L
called surveillance by objectives that shows how to establish outcome objectives and set priorities. The chapters are supported with references and augmented with graphic tables and figures. The surveillance-by-objectives program puts into practice information uncovered by the Study on the Efficacy of Nosccomial Infection Control (SENIC). The Centers for Disease Control ran the 10-year,$12 million SENIC project to evaluate how well hospitals control infections. With his book, Dr Haley has translated the resulting body of SENIC data into a workable program for infection control in hospitals. Prevention or reduction of nosocomial infections is fundamentally a matter of monitoring and improving human practices, according to Dr Haley. The author claims to offer a plan that could reduce 32%of nosocomial infections. The book is interesting and stimulating. There is now an alternative between what is being practiced and what should be practiced in infection control. CHARLOTTE H. OWEN,RN OR COORDINATOR SHRINERS HOSPITAL FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN TAMPA,FLA
Handbook for First-Line Nurse Managers. Joyce L. Schweiger, ed. Wiley Medical Publishing, 605 Third Ave, New York, NY 10158, 1986, 381 pp, $22.50 paperback. This book is a well-edited and well-written collection of articles that deal with the basic aspects of management: organizational design and behavior, leadership, communications, decision making, personnel issues, research, and management information systems. The articles are well organized and written in understandable language, which is an accomplishment considering the theoretical concepts covered. There are several excellent chapters that particularly apply to the first-line nurse manager, including “Power and politics in the organization,” “Labor relations/ collective bargaining,” “Evaluation” (especially the section on performance evaluation), and “Ethical and legal issues.” The rest of the book missed its stated purpose as a method for nurse managers to approach
MARCH 1987, VOL. 45, NO 3
management. The articles talk mainly of theory and concepts and very little of practical knowhow and specificson the methods-ideas that new managers sometimes desperately need. The chapter on “Cost effectiveness and care planning” seems to deal very little with cost at all and would have been more appropriately titled “Patient classification and staffing.” Unless he or she is in a small organization, the first-line nurse manager is the head nurse, usually of one floor or of one specialty service. The head nurse is probably not involved in hiring except for a brief interview and can only recommend firing through an established procedure. His or her budget functions may involve suggestions on capital equipment purchases but are more likely to involve managing only a given amount of operating capital. Overall, the book presents much good information and would be an excellent resource for the middle manager, such as a director of nursing service. The first-time, first-line manager would probably not find it useful except to prepare for promotion. MA, BSN, CNOR MARLAPATTERSON, STAFFNURSE NAVALHOSPITAL PENSACOLA, FLA
Hospital Departmental Profiles, second ed. Alan J. Goldberg, Robert A. DeNoble, eds. American Hospital Publishing, Inc, 211 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, 1986, 209 pp, $31.25 paperback. This book offers hospital managers and consultants a concise, practical guide to departmental functioning. It is targeted at analysts, consultants, management engineers, and administrators. It would be an especially valuable tool for the new manager. The editors assume that the reader has responsibility for various hospital departments. They offer the reader a method to determine how well each department is functioning. The book gives a “how to” guide for performing a departmental analysis, including objectives, internal organization, policies and procedures,
called surveillance by objectives that shows how to establish outcome objectives and set priorities. The chapters are supported with references and augmented with graphic tables and figures. The surveillance-by-objectives program puts into practice information uncovered by the Study on the Efficacy of Nosccomial Infection Control (SENIC). The Centers for Disease Control ran the 10-year,$12 million SENIC project to evaluate how well hospitals control infections. With his book, Dr Haley has translated the resulting body of SENIC data into a workable program for infection control in hospitals. Prevention or reduction of nosocomial infections is fundamentally a matter of monitoring and improving human practices, according to Dr Haley. The author claims to offer a plan that could reduce 32%of nosocomial infections. The book is interesting and stimulating. There is now an alternative between what is being practiced and what should be practiced in infection control. CHARLOTTE H. OWEN,RN OR COORDINATOR SHRINERS HOSPITAL FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN TAMPA,FLA
Handbook for First-Line Nurse Managers. Joyce L. Schweiger, ed. Wiley Medical Publishing, 605 Third Ave, New York, NY 10158, 1986, 381 pp, $22.50 paperback. This book is a well-edited and well-written collection of articles that deal with the basic aspects of management: organizational design and behavior, leadership, communications, decision making, personnel issues, research, and management information systems. The articles are well organized and written in understandable language, which is an accomplishment considering the theoretical concepts covered. There are several excellent chapters that particularly apply to the first-line nurse manager, including “Power and politics in the organization,” “Labor relations/ collective bargaining,” “Evaluation” (especially the section on performance evaluation), and “Ethical and legal issues.” The rest of the book missed its stated purpose as a method for nurse managers to approach
MARCH 1987, VOL. 45, NO 3
management. The articles talk mainly of theory and concepts and very little of practical knowhow and specificson the methods-ideas that new managers sometimes desperately need. The chapter on “Cost effectiveness and care planning” seems to deal very little with cost at all and would have been more appropriately titled “Patient classification and staffing.” Unless he or she is in a small organization, the first-line nurse manager is the head nurse, usually of one floor or of one specialty service. The head nurse is probably not involved in hiring except for a brief interview and can only recommend firing through an established procedure. His or her budget functions may involve suggestions on capital equipment purchases but are more likely to involve managing only a given amount of operating capital. Overall, the book presents much good information and would be an excellent resource for the middle manager, such as a director of nursing service. The first-time, first-line manager would probably not find it useful except to prepare for promotion. MA, BSN, CNOR MARLAPATTERSON, STAFFNURSE NAVALHOSPITAL PENSACOLA, FLA
Hospital Departmental Profiles, second ed. Alan J. Goldberg, Robert A. DeNoble, eds. American Hospital Publishing, Inc, 211 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, 1986, 209 pp, $31.25 paperback. This book offers hospital managers and consultants a concise, practical guide to departmental functioning. It is targeted at analysts, consultants, management engineers, and administrators. It would be an especially valuable tool for the new manager. The editors assume that the reader has responsibility for various hospital departments. They offer the reader a method to determine how well each department is functioning. The book gives a “how to” guide for performing a departmental analysis, including objectives, internal organization, policies and procedures,