Conclusion
If nurses do not see the decisions being made by mangers as
legitimate or indeed the need for the manager, then this can
lead to conflict and resentment, leading to a difficult working
environment. Evidence suggests that the working environment
can have an influence on the quality of patient
care and having management support is necessary for a
health work environment (Schmalenberg & Kamer 2009).
If relationships are improved and maintained between managers,
this can lead to an improved workplace for staff and
this will also enhance patient care.
The introduction of managerialism and NPM have not
been uniformly introduced globally, rather there will be different
policies and implementation throughout all health
systems (Kuhlmann & Annandale 2012). However, NPM
has had a significant influence in health care in Scotland. It
is important to recognize the influence of NPM and how it
has shaped management and professional/manager relationships
within the NHS. It is important to understand how
the professional/manager relationships are perceived by
front-line nursing staff. In doing this, tensions and difficulties
between front-line staff and senior managers can be
identified. The strategies employed by nurses to overcome
these difficulties can also be seen. This is necessary to determine
how an effective relationship can be pursued and to
ensure excellent patient care.