Abstract
The perceptions of nurse managers regarding cost containment issues in selected public hospitals in the Port Elizabeth metropole of the Eastern Cape were investigated. Results indicated that nurse managers required better preparation for their cost control responsibilities. Although the majority of the nurse managers realised that staffing issues affected cost containment efforts, they were reportedly unable to prevent nurses from leaving their points of duty without due authorisation, curb the rate of absenteeism or reduce the number of resignations. Nurse managers suggested that cost containment efforts would benefit from effective security checks to curb losses of stock and equipment, including wheel-chairs, and that more public telephones should be installed in hospitals. Rationalisation of staff and specialised services among the four major hospitals could further enhance cost containment efforts.
Highlights
The nurse manager must have the necessary information and preparation to develop strategic financial planning, because the nursing division often accounts for more than half of health care institutions’ budgets (Zachray, Gilbert & Gragg 1995:49)
A study on the eco nomic awareness of nurses in relationship to budgetary control, demonstrated that nurses who worked with a nurse manager who maintained budgetary control had a greater economic awareness and consumed fewer supplies and equipment than nurses who worked with a nurse manager without such skills (Caroselli 1996:292)
The survey attempted to identify whether nurse managers perceived their preparation/orientation towards cost containment to be adequate staff issues, leaving points of duty, absenteeism and resignations of nurses to impact negatively on hospitals’ cost containment issues the acquisition and control of supplies and equipment to influence cost containment efforts concerning the misuse of wheelchairs and telephones and the possible impact(s) on cost containment efforts general cost containment efforts to enhance the success of hospitals’ cost containment efforts
Summary
The nurse manager must have the necessary information and preparation to develop strategic financial planning, because the nursing division often accounts for more than half of health care institutions’ budgets (Zachray, Gilbert & Gragg 1995:49). The ever-shrinking health service budgets mean that nurse managers need to possess substantial financial skills (Caroselli 1996:292). Nurse managers face the dilemma of maintaining high-qual ity patient care standards, while simultaneously cutting costs of services rendered. At all levels of health care, nurses are the main users of resources by virtue of their direct links with the patients and because nurses constitute the largest group of health care profes sionals. They need to be cautious about their use of resources and about their selection of items and equipment, in order to contain costs. As nurse m anagers’ perceptions regarding cost containment issues could in fluence the success or failure of cost containment efforts in public hospitals, it was deemed desirable to identify and describe these perceptions in an attempt to enhance cost containment efforts in public hospitals in South Africa
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