Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to clarify what thoughts assistant head nurses embraced at the time they newly took up their posts, and how they recognized their roles.
Methods: The participants were 37 nurses who had been appointed assistant head nurses. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate three research themes: "Thoughts upon assuming the post of assistant head nurse"; "Recognition of the role of the assistant head nurse at the time", and "Current issues".
Result: Five categories of thought upon assuming the post of assistant head nurses were identified: (1) anxiety over responsibility; (2) perceptions regarding the ability of being needed; (3) anxiety over evaluation to themselves; (4) reticence to taking up the post; (5) enthusiasm about the promotion. Five further categories were identified regarding recognition of the roles of an assistant head nurse at the time of assumption of office: (1) cooperation with head nurse; (2) approach towards the staff; (3) environmental organization; (4) being a role model; (5) operational regulation.
Conclusion: While the assistant head nurses were bewildered by aspects of the change of position such as "the anxiety of bearing responsibility", they recognized their role as a member of staff was to focus on improvement in the workplace such as "environmental organization".
