1. What is administration in nursing service?

Nursing administration is a leadership role in a given healthcare setting. This strategic

management of staff, patients, and facilities is done by implementing policies written by the
nurse administrator or more senior staff. Nurse administrators may not be involved with the
day-to-day care of patients but rather are occupied with scheduling, managing budgets,
overseeing nurses, writing reports, and ensuring a high quality of patient care. Nursing Service
Administration may be best defined as the strategic management of nursing personnel, patient
care, and facility resources through the support of regulating polices. An example of
administration is the act of the manager in the hospital managing the nursing staff and
employing the rules of the health system. Nursing service administration is the marshaling of
resources to accomplish a purpose. It is a complex of elements in interaction and is organized to
achieve the excellence in nursing care services.

2. Why is it administration in nursing service important in the practice of nursing?

Administration in nursing service is indispensable in hospital administration since it is pivotal in

planning for total patient care and it evaluates the quality of nursing service. Also, it is essential
for supervision since good administration is required for selection of personnel and assignment
of their activities. Nursing administration is important in the hospital to provide health care
efficiently and effectively. Relationship with other departments is largely a matter of
administration.

With the ever-evolving healthcare industry, one truth will always remain constant—nursing
administration and leadership in nursing practice directly impacts an organization’s drive,
performance, and people. As hospitals and health systems strive to improve patient care, an
emphasis is placed on adopting characteristics of a highly reliable organization. While it is often
common to focus administrative efforts at the highest levels of a hospital or health system,
middle-management leaders such as chief administrators are key to an organization’s success
and directly impact many front-line caregivers and healthcare workers.

Because nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and spend more one-
on-one time with patients than any other role in the industry, it is clear to see the undeniable
impact that nurses have on patient care. Only with strong nurse leadership will nurses continue
to grow and help shape smarter healthcare delivery of the future. While physicians and
healthcare executives certainly serve as key decision makers on an organization’s high reliability
journey, the importance of administration in nursing should not be underestimated, as nurses
have an awesome responsibility to improve patient care that cannot be ignored. Only with
strong, steady, and swift nurse leadership having a voice at the table will healthcare change for
the better.

3. Give the functions and responsibilities of the head of the nursing service (chief nurse)?

Chief nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who work at the administrative level. They ensure that
nurses throughout a medical facility consistently provide patients with quality care. Nurses in
this supervisory role also work with other healthcare professionals to establish overall goals and
objectives for their health care facilities. Supervising others can be challenging, but may bring
great rewards when workers' accomplishments are later observed.

A chief nurse is mandated by the hospital administration to maintain clinical and patient-care
standards. This includes ensuring that the patients are safe in the hospital and have access to
the right medical care. In order to do this, the chief nursing officer has to work closely with the
hospital management and stakeholders to acquire the right infrastructure and resources. He
also offers the best insights to the management on how they can improve the quality of care in
the facility. A chief nursing officer is also responsible for formulating and implementing new
nursing strategies. This requires extensive knowledge of the nursing procedures, staff rules and
patient policies.

A chief nursing officer has a wide range of responsibilities, including administrative roles. He
sometimes performs the duties of a chief administrator of the hospital. He plans and oversees
the daily activities within the hospital and ensures everything runs as planned. This includes
organizing, directing and coordinating medical and health services in compliance with the
government regulations and policies set by the board of trustees. He may also shortlist,
evaluate and hire nurses and assist in educating them on the best healthcare practices. In some
instances, a chief nursing officer may help in planning budgets and setting rates for the health
services.

A chief nursing officer is expected by the government and hospital management to maintain
high standards other staff members can follow. He inspires others based on what he does and
encourages them to uphold the best practices when handling patients. He works towards
establishing a conducive environment for other nurses by developing strategies aimed at
creating collaboration. His leadership duties may go beyond the scope of nursing to serving as a
spokesperson, representative or trainer at medical conferences and seminars. A chief nurse
may also review the certifications of other nurses to make sure they comply with the existing
professional regulations in the industry.

They play a major role in helping the hospitals run smoothly and observe the existing
healthcare standards. They do this by carrying out extensive research, evaluating results and
preparing reports on the best approach the hospital should take to streamline its operations.
They also advise the management on how to recruit new nurses and train them. Chief nursing
officers working in the public sector may also provide advice to the government.

Many hospitals struggle to keep a perfect working relationship between physicians and nurses.
A chief nurse acts as the closest link between the physicians, nurses and hospital
administrators.

Roles and Duties of a Chief Nursing Officer?

1. Creating a nursing environment that fosters collaboration
2. Partnering with physicians to ensure a smooth workflow
 3. Ensuring that nursing standards are upheld
4. Maintaining regulatory and compliance approvals and accreditations
5. Working with senior management and medical staff to develop strategic plans
6. Cultivating relationships across functions and departments
7. Serving as a spokesperson for the entire nursing department
8. Promoting the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
9. Organizing, directing and administering nursing-patient care service best practice
10. Maintaining quality assessment and improvement
11. Facilitating opportunities for education and professional advancement of employees
12. Establishing and monitoring evaluation of performance improvement

4. Give the qualification of the head of the nursing service (chief nurse)? And why is it
important in such position?

Pursuant to Section 29 of Republic Act No. 9173, An Act Providing for a More Responsive
Nursing Profession repealing for the purpose the Republic Act No. 7164 otherwise known as
“The Philippine Nursing Act of 1991 to wit:

Section 29. Qualification of Nursing Service Administrators. - A person occupying supervisory or

managerial positions requiring knowledge of nursing must:
(a) Be a registered nurse in the Philippines;
(b) Have at least two (2) years’ experience in general nursing service administration;
(c) Possess a degree of Bachelors of Science in Nursing, with at least nine (9) units in
management and administration courses at the graduate level; and
(d) Be a member of good standing of the accredited professional organization of nurses;

Provided, that a person occupying the position of chief nurse or director of nursing service
shall, in addition to the foregoing qualifications, possess:
(1) At least five (5) years of experience in a supervisory or managerial position in nursing; and
(2) A master's degree major in nursing;

Provided, further, that for primary hospitals, the maximum academic qualifications and
experiences for a chief nurse shall be as specified in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section:
Provided, furthermore, that for chief nurses in the public health nursing shall be given priority.
Provided, even further, that for chief nurses in military hospitals, priority shall be given to those
who have finished a master's degree in nursing and the completion of the General Staff Course
(GSC): Provided, finally, that those occupying such positions before the effectivity of this Act
shall be given a period of five (5) years within which to qualify.

They have demanding and complex roles that require accountability, leadership, and strong
communication skills to lead the nurses in the organization to achieve quality patient outcomes.
Chief nurses demonstrate outstanding communication, personnel and time management skills.
They practice active listening, critical thinking, and decision making. Strong computer skills are
required as they relate to scientific, classification, and database usage. Proficiency in document
management and medical software are also necessary job skills. Chief nurses require a
bachelor's degree in nursing plus state licensure as a registered nurse (RN). They also often hold
a master's degree in nursing or a related field, like business or health administration to prepare
for their supervisory role in a healthcare organization. Voluntary professional certification and
membership in professional nursing organizations may improve job prospects. Becoming a chief
nurse requires extensive preparation through formal education and training.

A chief nursing officer is the highest administrative role in nursing, so preparation for this work
will take a number of years to complete. Working as a chief nursing officer will afford you the
opportunity to oversee other directors and managers in a healthcare organization or system.

Since a chief nurse is an executive level role, it requires a good deal of education and
experience. It is generally a position you will find in big facilities such as hospitals or nursing
homes, but chief nursing officers sometimes also work for a health system, coordinating care in
multiple facilities. A chief nurse must combine skills and knowledge in nursing with business
and administrative skills, and often reports to the chief operating officer of an organization.
With such a wide scope of responsibilities, it's probably not surprising to find that one must
hold one or more graduate level degrees along with at least five years of leadership experience.
In these days of growing complexity in healthcare delivery, when administrative roles are
expanding and becoming more important to provide excellent and consistent standards of care,
other pertinent degrees might include the Master of Science in Nursing Administration or an
Master of Science in Nursing with emphasis on Leadership in Health Care Systems.