New Nurse Managers: Part 1 - Orientation for the 1990s

Swedish Hospital Medical Center (Seattle, Washington) recently revised its nurse manager orientation program in an effort to improve the preparation of those nurses who assume management positions in a complex hospital system. The program is designed to: 1. support the new manager during initial months in the role, and 2. provide content and skills that enhance the process of assuming the role. The orientation program is divided into 3 phases. During the first 4 weeks, the major focus is to become familiar with the nursing department and acquire an overview of the hospital system. During weeks 5 through 12, the focus becomes the nursing unit while unit management responsibilities are increased. The focus of the last phase, weeks 13 through 52, is the ongoing development of management skills. Achieving organizational goals depends upon the successful performance of nursing managers, and their ability to manage is crucial to good, cost-effective patient care.