Measuring first-line nurse manager work: instrument: development and testing.

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and test a 1st-line nurse manager (FLNM) work instrument to measure categories of work and frequency of activities.

Background: First-line nurse managers have been demonstrated to be key contributors in meeting organizational outcomes and patient and nurse satisfaction. Identifying the work of FLNMs is essential to help in the development of prioritization and sequence. The need for an instrument that can measure and categorize the work of FLNMs is indicated.

Methods: The author-developed instrument was administered as a pilot study to 173 FLNMs in New Jersey. Descriptive statistics were analyzed, and validity and reliability were measured.

Results: Content validity was established through 2 focus groups using 10 FLNMs and conducting a survey of 5 chief nursing officers. Reliability was assessed by 13 of 16 FLNM participants using the test/retest method and quantified using percent agreement within a 10-day period. Those items with 70% agreement or more were identified as reliable and retained on the instrument.

Conclusions: The content validity of the instrument is strong; further refinement and testing of the tool are indicated to improve the reliability and generalizability across multiple populations of leaders and settings.