Abstract
M.Cur. (Nursing Management)
In this study two decentralised organisation designs in nursing management are
investigated. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of two different
designs (the territorial matrix) on the attitudes and perceptions of nurses
towards their work.
A descriptive multiphase investigation was done. In the first phase the attitudes
and perceptions of nurses in the territorial design were investigated by using the
Michigan Organisational Assessment Scale. In the second phase the territorial
design was changed to a nursing matrix design. In the third phase the attitudes
and perceptions of nurses were retested by again using the Michigan Organisational
Assessment Scale. The fourth phase was used to compare the results gathered
in the first and third phases. Phase five was used to describe the two
designs by means of a systems analysis.
An analysis of the data showed that the operational hypothesis can be accepted,
because nurses' attitudes and perceptions were more positive in the matrix design
than those in the territorial design.
This study was not meant for generalisation purposes, but is a descriptive research
method to record the effects of nursing service design on the attitudes
and perceptions of nurses.This study is also an effort to describe and document
a modern organisational design in nursing management.