A framework to facilitate the promotion of women nurses of colour to leadership positions in hospitals

Abstract

Despite the implementation of the Employment Equity Act in 1998, African and Coloured women are under-represented in leadership positions in private healthcare in South Africa. African nurses are well presented in leadership positions in public healthcare in most provinces except the Western Cape where Coloured nurses have improved leadership representation. This study aimed to develop a framework to facilitate the appointment of women nurses of colour (African and Coloured nurses for the purpose of this study) to leadership positions in hospitals. A concurrent mixed method design was employed comprising a survey and interpretive phenomenology. The study was conducted in public and private hospitals in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces. Six hundred and eighty-eight professional nurses consented to participate and n = 573 (83%) completed the survey. Five interviews were conducted with nurse leaders in SA and another 40 with persons who had participated in the selection processes of nurses to leadership positions. The quantitative findings revealed caution to admit that the Employment Equity Act contributed to the promotion of African, Coloured and Indian nurses, a divide between nursing management and nurses on ward level, inferior viewing of African and the superior viewing of White nurses. Qualitative findings suggested efforts to consider the Employment Equity Act, racial discrimination, and questionable promotion practices. Meta-inferences were drawn from the qualitative and quantitative findings. A framework was developed from these meta-inferences that focused on credible promotion practices, diversity training, succession-planning and healthy managerial structures.