STUDY OF THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF NURSE MANAGERS: EVIDENCE FROM THE COMPARISON OF FARS, AND SISTAN AND BALUCHESTAN PROVINCES

In recent years, the country’s healthcare sectors are faced with several financial challenges due to increased cost. This has necessitated nurse managers to build financial management skills to enable them to lead in the provision of effective and efficient care while reducing cost. This demands adequate knowledge and skills in financial management. Accordingly, the research examined the financial management knowledge and skills of nurse managers in public hospitals of Iran.

The present study is a descriptive-analytical study based on a quantitative approach. Across-sectional design was employed using the census approach to collect data through a questionnaire from 269 nurse managers in public hospitals in two provinces of Fars and Sistan and Baluchestan. Data analyses were performed using descriptive and mean comparison tests (t-test and one-way ANOVA) via SPSS statistical software.

Nurse Managers in both provinces showed a low level of knowledge and skills in financial management. Gender, age, work experience, and level of education also did not affect the financial management skills of nurse managers. Also, the results showed that the level of knowledge of financial management skills (2.702) is higher than the ability to apply financial management skills (2.425) among nursing managers (t = 9.942 and P = 0.0005).

Nurse Managers play a significant role in the financial management of hospitals but have inadequate knowledge, skills, and competence in financial management. Recommendations include well-structured training and education on financial management using a multidisciplinary approach to enable nurse managers to gain the required knowledge and skills. Continuous experiential learning and mentorship programs should be developed for nurses before the assumption of management positions.