Health care employees, especially nurses, are often victims of workplace violence.
The objective of this research is to study the frequency and degree of violence against nurses and to analyze ...correlations between various sources and types of violence.
A survey was carried out using a representative sample of nurses in Slovenia. Data was collected using a questionnaire designed specifically for the purposes of the survey. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive, correlational and inferential statistics.
A total of 692 nurses participated in the survey. Verbal violence (n = 416) and physical violence (n = 180) were identified. The most frequent perpetrators of verbal violence were patients (listed as a source of violence by 39.3% of the respondents) and peers (39.6%), with the most forceful identified as physicians and patients. Physical violence against nurses was most often initiated by patients (20.8%) who were also the most forceful source in this category. Nurse leaders were found to be the most frequent and forceful sources of violence in terms of leadership level. A positive correlation between external (patient and relatives) and internal (physician and nurse) sources of violence was determined.
A better understanding of the association between different types and sources of violence may support the development of action-oriented violence management. Health care organisations should limit violence at its less severe levels and at its primary source.
The rapid increase in the scope and quality of knowledge in the health care field requires continuing education for nurses, especially nurse leaders.
A survey was conducted among 296 nurse leaders ...from 15 hospitals, accounting for 87% of all hospital nurses in Slovenia.
The survey showed that participation in continuing education was lowest among younger nurse leaders, those with lower leadership positions, and those employed at medium-sized general hospitals and specialized (nonpsychiatric) hospitals. The total number of continuing education hours did not affect self-assessment of knowledge among nurse leaders.
Slovenia's experiences in this area indicate that greater attention must be paid to an equal distribution of continuing education programs among the various groups of nurse leaders. Additionally, it is important to monitor the quality of program implementation.
Introduction: A successful leader must have high self-esteem. The main aims of this study were to identify changes in the self-esteem of nurse leaders in Slovenia from 2001 to 2011 and to determine ...homogeneous groups of leaders with similar personal characteristics.Methods: The study used a version of a personal characteristics questionnaire with 16 self-descriptive statements. Two surveys were conducted among nurse leaders in Slovenian public hospitals, one in 2001 and the other in 2011. Relationships between variables were analysed using chi-square tests for categorical variables and the one-way analysis of variance for quantifiable variables. Factor analysis was used to determine groups of leaders with similar personal characteristics.Results: A total of 327 nurse leaders participated in the survey in 2001 and 296 filled in questionnaires in 2011. The analysis showed that the level of self-assessment of personal characteristics among nurse leaders in Slovenian public hospitals was significantly higher in 2011 than in 2001, and that differences among individual leaders decreased in most areas. Based on the assessments of personal characteristics, four groups of nurse leaders were established: task-oriented, knowledge and creativity oriented, relationship oriented and extroverted nurse leaders. In the 2011 data, the groups of personal characteristics were much more clearly defined. These groups were established in accordance with leadership theory and research from other fields.Conclusions: The positive effects of better education and training are visible in nurse leaders in terms of both their higher self-esteem and in the establishment of more homogeneous groups of leaders.
Introduction: New, up-to-date approaches to professionalism presuppose the formation of a nursing team in such a way that relationships are not based on classical hierarchical relationships between ...superiors and subordinates but on relationships of interdependence and acknowledgment of the role the individual plays in the team. The objective of this article is to present the competences required by nurses in top organizational leadership positions from two viewpoints: as seen by nurses in top leadership positions and as seen by nurses in subordinate positions.Methods: A descriptive research method using a questionnaire as the measuring instrument was used. The questionnaire was based on the competence model of leadership in public administration in Slovenia and was tested on various professional groups.Results: Statistically signifi cant differences were observed with regard to the majority of competences between nurses in top leadership positions and nurses in non-leadership positions. Therefore, the views regarding what competences nurses in leadership positions should have substantially differed within theprofessional group.Conclusions: The fi rst conclusion is therefore that education on leadership on both the theoretical and practical levels must be introduced into undergraduate study programmes of health colleges. With the help of factor analysis we formed fi ve subgroups within the professional group of nurses: three subgroups within the group of nurses in leadership positions and two subgroups within the group of nurses in nonleadershippositions. A special education programme should be prepared for each of these subgroups.
The efficiency of the health care system is significantly dependent on the appropriate leadership and guidance of employees. One of the most frequently used new approaches in human resources ...management is the study of competencies and competency models. The aim of this research is to develop a competency model for leaders in nursing, and to compare it with the leadership competency model for state administration.
A survey was conducted among 141 nurse leaders in Slovenia. The respondents were asked to complete questionnaire with 95 leadership behaviours that form the leadership competency model for leaders in nursing. The data were analysed by ANOVA and Tukey's honestly significant differences test.
The levels of competencies set for themselves by leaders at the third leadership level in nursing (leaders of small units and teams) are significantly lower than those set by all other leaders, both in nursing and in state administration. Statistically significant differences were apparent in the majority of areas.
Within the context of the comparison of competency models, the greatest need for training can be observed at the third level of leadership in nursing. A comparison of models formulated in this way enables the exchange of good practices among leaders from various professional groups and easier identification of the training needs of individual groups of leaders in public administration. The proposed concept is designed to significantly simplify and unify the building of competency-based leadership models in public sector.
Background and Purpose: The main purpose behind the formation of leadership competency models must be the improvement of leadership. A competency model should serve as one of the tools for selecting ...the most suitable leaders, appraising their work, assessing training needs and preparing programmes of functional and formal education. The objective of this research is to assess the training needs of leaders in health care. A comparison of leadership competency models between different professional groups should serve as one of the tools with which to assess the training needs of various levels of leaders. Design/Methodology/Approach: A descriptive study using a survey design was conducted on 141 nurse leaders in Slovenia. Respondents indicated to what extent each of 95 different behaviours was characteristic of a person at their leadership level. Results: The most important competence dimensions (groups of behaviours) for leaders in health care are (1) at the first - top leadership level: strategic thinking, openness to change and responsibility; (2) for leaders at the second - middle leadership level: relations with co-workers, animation, resistance to stress; and (3) for leaders at the third leadership level: realisation skills, execution of procedures, communication. Training needs assessments were done for three leadership levels in nursing care. Conclusions: The greatest need for training of nurse leaders can be observed at the third leadership level. Special training programmes should be organised in the competency areas of realisation skills, execution of procedures, communication, education and ethics
•A linear programming has been applied to access efficiency of police force.•We provide additional insights into the efficiency of police work at the level of police stations.•Most of the observed ...PSs are technically inefficient.•External factors do affect police stations’ relative efficiency.•Findings can serve as a guide for police management to enhance the performance.
The paper attempts to measure the relative efficiency of police activities in the Slovenian police at the local level. As the state allocates a relatively large amount of budget funding to police operations and more than one-quarter of public employees is employed in the police, the efficient use of limited public funds is even more important. In particular, a three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique is presented and then applied to measure the relative efficiency of police-work-related data for selected police units at the local level (i.e., police stations (PSs)) in 2010 with additional controlling for external (environmental) factors. The results of the DEA empirical analysis reveal that approximately 80% of the observed PSs are inefficient relative to their peers. More detailed analysis also shows that, in general, PSs with more than 50 posts occupied are on average less efficient. To some extent, the differences in efficiency scores are a consequence of external factors which the management of police stations cannot influence, yet they are even more a result of better governance and organized and police work. Thus, the presented methodology and obtained efficiency results can be a valuable tool in the hands of police management when deciding how to optimally allocate the limited public resources.
► Significant differences in the efficiency scores emerge across the PDs. ► The most efficient units are Maribor PD and the Novo mesto PD. ► External factors do have a significant influence on the ...efficiency. ► The findings can serve as a guide for the General PD to enhance the efficiency.
The main purpose of the paper is to apply a non-parametric methodology for measuring public police performance in Slovenia. The paper considers how previous studies have modeled the role of policing in their specifications of inputs and output. In particular, the multiple-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique is presented and then applied to measure the relative efficiency of police-work-related data for eleven Police Directorates (PDs) in 2010 and also compared with the efficiency scores in 2005. The data obtained from the police databases is analyzed through the Frontier Analyst 4.0 and SPSS 19.0 statistical package software. The results show that the technical efficiency varies significantly across the police directorates and across the selected years, even when we allow for environmental factors and control for these non-discretionary inputs. Most police directorates in Slovenia could attain a higher output if they were fully efficient. Indeed, all of the inefficient police directorates can learn how to ensure a “good” performance from the efficient ones (i.e. the Maribor PD and the Novo mesto PD) by observing how they are processing their inputs and outputs. Finally, the empirical results of the paper are important indicators of the relative efficiency (or inefficiency) of police directorates that can serve as a guide to the General Police Directorate when further investigating how to enhance the performance efficiency of the various units.
Glavni namen analize v tem članku je bil ugotoviti, ali (in kako) se kažejo razlike pri obravnavanju moških in žensk v javni upravi oz. ali lahko ugotovimo manjšo diskriminacijo zaposlenih žensk v ...javni upravi kot v celotnem gospodarstvu. Analiza podatkov za Slovenijo je pokazala, da ženske z visoko izobrazbo, magisterijem ali doktoratom v javni upravi lažje dobijo zaposlitev, veliko težje pa dobijo ustrezno delovno mesto, na katerem je zahtevana ta stopnja strokovne usposobljenosti. Vendar se je stanje v zadnjih štirih letih pri mestih, "ki niso čisto na vrhu" (visoka usposobljenost, magisterij), že bistveno izboljalo. Na področju plač je diskriminacija žensk z visoko strokovno usposobljenostjo (vključno z doktoratom in magisterijem) v javni upravi veliko manjša, med ženskami s srednjo in višjo izobrazbo pa večja kot med vsemi zaposlenimi. Ženske z visoko izobrazbo so v javni upravi nedvomno manj diskriminirane kot tiste s srednjo in višjo.
Performance measurement is an increasingly important and ever more frequently monitored measure of excellence in public sector organisations. For this purpose, public sector organisations employ ...excellence models such as the European Foundation for Quality Management model, Common Assessment Framework (CAF), Business Scorecard, etc. With the support of European Institute for Public Administration and the national organisations responsible for the development of quality/excellence, many European public administration organisations, including the Slovenian Police Service, use the CAF model as a basis for developing and improving both the enablers and results of their operations. In this respect, the main purpose of the paper is to present and apply a non-parametric methodology for measuring police performance results. The analysis shows that the data envelopment analysis scores and the rankings vary significantly across the police stations. In general, most police stations in the country could attain better results by fully implementing the enablers suggested by the CAF model. Consequently, the empirical results of the paper can serve as a guide for police management when further investigating how to enhance the performance results of police stations.
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