Nurse managers play an important role in policy making. As policy makers, their functions include providing visibility for organizational goals, allocating resources, mediating conflicts, coaching staff, and monitoring results. When making policies related to patient care, nurse managers are responsible for planning total patient care, projecting staff needs, recruiting and selecting nursing personnel, staffing, directing and motivating staff, coordinating care, recording and reporting, and securing resources to ensure a safe environment for patients and personnel. Qualities of an effective nurse manager include self-awareness, leadership skills, initiative, technical expertise, teaching abilities, and emotional control.

1. Role of Nurse Managers in
Policy Making
Rajesh Kumar Sharma
Lecturer
Himalayan College of Nursing

2. I. Who is a Nurse ?
A person, who takes care of the sick or infirm
N-Nurturing
U-Understanding
R-Responsive, Responsible
S-Servile, Sincere, Sacrificial
E-Encouraging, Emollient,
Emotionally Controlled, Enthusiastic

3. II. NURSING:
The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual,
sick or well, in the performance of those activities
contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death)
that he would perform unaided if he had necessary
strength, will or knowledge. (VIRGINIA HANDERSON,
1966)
Components of Nursing:
CARE
CURE
COORDINATION
CONTROL
POLICY MAKING

4. III. ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
Administration: is an enabling process it covers the
whole are of carrying into effect any policy, plan or
undertaking, whether conceived by government,
public or private agency. (H.A. Goddard, 1958)
Management: defined in a simple language is to get work
done in a systematic way for accomplishment of defined
objectives based on Management of:-
 Man
 Money
 Material

5. IV. POLICY:
A Policy as defined by Pal is a course of action or inaction chosen by
public authorities to address a given problem or interrelated set of
problems. Atkunson observes that “Policy is a theoretical construct. It
is a course of action, yes, but action that is anchored in both a set of
values regarding appropriate public goals and a set of beliefs about the
private affair.
Policy analysis, Pal say is the “ disciplined application of intellect to
public problems”. It reduces to one question: what are we going to do
about the position in view ?
Glen Milne, describes policy “ as intention and discretion Policy directs,
but dose not consist of operational programs ad details”.

6. V. POLICY MAKERS IN INSTITUTION
CHIEF NURSING OFFICER
HEAD OF DEPTT.'S
CHIEF OF THE CENTRES
MEDICAL SUPDT.
DY. DIRECTOR (A)
SR.FINANCIAL ADVISOR
DEAN
DIRECTOR

7. VI. NATURE OF MANAGEMENT
/ ADMINISTRATION
 Universal
 Holistic
 Continuous
 Goal oriented
 Social & Dynamic
 Creative

8. VII. NURSING MANAGEMENT &
ADMINISTRATION:
 If describes the managerial role of the nurse in complex organization.
 Every nurse administrator should develop managerial skills and
leadership skills.
 Lack of administrative skills can only be cured by persuading
administration skills.
Head for Nursing Management:
 Nursing is a major component of the health care delivery system.
 Single most largest task force in H.C.D.S.
 Quality patient care.
 Expanding responsibilities of the nurse supervisor in the present
scenario.

9. Role of Nurse Manager:
1. Decision Maker.
2. Guide and Counselor.
3. Role model.
4. Educator.
Functions of a Nurse Manager as a Policy Maker:
a) Provides visibility for organization goals.
b) Provides resources and define constraints.
c) Mediates conflict.
d) Serves as a coach.
e) Monitors results.
f) Stays out of the way so that individuals can manage their work.

10. Functions of a Nurse Manager in Policy Making
pertaining to patient care:
1. Planning total patient care.
2. Projecting staffing needs.
3. Recruitment & Selection of the Nursing personnel.
4. Staffing.
5. Directing & Motivating.
6. Coordinating.
7. Recording & Reporting.
8. Budgeting.
9. Ensuring safe environment for patients & Personnel
10.Securing resources.
11.Relationship with other Departments.
12.Public Relations.
13.Aftercare of the patients.

11. Qualities of Nurse Manager
1. Self Awareness.
2. Personnel Qualities.
3. Leadership Qualities.
4. Initiative Qualities.
5. Technical Qualities.
6. Teaching abilities.
7. Intellectual Skills.
8. Prompt / Alert
9. Tactful.
10.Emotional Control.
11.Conscientiousness.
12.Quality of building human relations.

12. Conclusion:
As the nursing profession moves
forward into this new millennium,
there is a strong need for nurse
managers to emerge as policy makers,
as the nurse administrators of health
care agencies is the guiding force in
promoting coordinated patient care.