Abstract
This study aimed to reveal if there was an association between the nursing management practice of the directors of nursing of small and medium-sized hospitals and their participation in community nursing networks. A cross-sectional mail survey design was adopted. Questionnaires were administrated to 1,147 directors of nursing of hospitals with fewer than 300 beds. Activities of the community nursing networks consisted of meetings, events, and support projects for the nursing administration of small and medium-sized hospitals and the “Nursing Management Behavior Assessment Form for Nurse Managers in Small and Medium-Sized Hospitals” was used to survey nursing management practices. Data from 213 managers was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The result of multiple regression analysis found that participation in meetings was associated with two notions of nursing management practice for directors of nursing: “having an unshakeable belief in nursing management” and “connecting with others and learning by oneself”. Participation in events was associated with all four notions of nursing management practices, and participation in support projects for small and medium-sized hospitals was associated with “supporting staff growth” and “connecting with people and learning by oneself”. It can be inferred that the nursing management practice of directors of nursing of small and medium-sized hospitals can be enhanced by participating in community nursing network activities.
