5 Basic Management Functions

1. Planning
2. Organizing
3. Staffing
4. Directing
5. Controlling

PLANNING: is the process of setting objectives and determining a course of action for achieving those
objectives. It involves forecasting future conditions, identifying resources needed, and developing
strategies to reach goals. Effective planning helps managers anticipate challenges and allocate resources
efficiently.
PURPOSE OF PLANNING
- Provides direction
- Reduce uncertainty
- Minimize waste and redundancy
- Set the standards for controlling
PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING
PLANNING …
1. is always based & focused on the vision, mission, philosophy and clearly defined objectives of
the organization.
2. is a continuous process.
3. should be pervasive within entire organization.
4. Must utilized all available resources.
5. must be precise/exact/ specific in its scope & nature.
6. should be time-bound.
4 PLANNING MODES:
1. Reactive Planning – occurs after a problem exists; done in response to a crisis
2. Inactivism – a type of conventional planning where the person considers the STATUS QUO as
stable environment
3. Preactivism – utilizes technology to accelerate change and is future-oriented; do not value
experience and the past; future is always preferable
4. Interactivism or Proactive – considers the past, present and future; done in anticipation of
changing needs
LEVELS OF PLANNING
A. Strategic Planning (long term 3-5 years or more )
 Focus: Establishes the overall direction and goals of the organization.
 Scope: Involves top management and encompasses the entire organization.
B. Intermediate Planning (Tactical planning : medium term 6m-2 years)
 Focus: Translates strategic plans into specific actions and initiatives.
 Scope: Involves middle management, focusing on departmental or divisional goals.
C. Operational Planning (short term 1week -1year)
 Focus: Details the specific tasks and processes needed to achieve tactical plans.
 Scope: Involves lower management and frontline employees.
SCOPE / ELEMENTS OF PLANNING
I. FORECASTING
Helps managers look into the future and decide in advance where the agency would like to be and what
is to be done in order to get there.
Components:
 - Environment - where? Strategic location
- Client - who?
- Personnel - number & mix of staff
- Resources - budget, facilities

II. SETTING THE VISION, MISSION, PHILOSOPHY, GOALS & OBJECTIVES

 MISSION : A brief statement that outlines the purpose of an organization
 VISION : Describes the goal to which the organization aspires, “what the organization would like
to achieve in the future”
 PHILOSOPHY : The fundamental beliefs and values that guide your organization practices.
 GOAL: are broad, overarching statements that define what an organization aims to achieve over
a specific time frame. They provide a framework for strategic planning and performance
measurement.
 OBJECTIVE: are specific, measurable steps that an organization takes to achieve its goals. They
are often time-bound and detailed, providing clear targets to work towards

III. DEVELOPING & SCHEDULING STRATEGIES

 Strategy : Overall plans of the higher management system
 Programs : Series of activities that function together to facilitate attainment of some desired
goals
 Time Management : Making optimal use of available time
1. Setting of goals : Strategic goals should be :
- Specific
- Measurable
- Acceptable to those working to achieve the goals
- Realistic
- Timely
- Extending the capabilities to those who are working to achieve the goals
- Rewarding
2. Assigning priorities : categorizing them by urgency and importance, setting clear goals, and
planning time effectively
3. Identifying & eliminating wasted time
Common Time Wasters
- Interruptions (phone calls, drop-in visitors)
- Meetings (scheduled or unscheduled)
- Lack of clear goals, objectives, & principles.
- Lack of daily/weekly plans.
- Lack of personal organization & self-discipline.
- Lack of knowledge about how one spends one’s time.
- Failure to delegate, working on routine tasks.
- Ineffective communication.
- Waiting for others, not using transition time effectively.
- Inability to say NO.
4. Using managerial techniques to reach goal
TIME ANALYSIS
 1st step: analyze how time is being used
 2nd step: determine whether time used is appropriate to the role
TIME LOG
  A diary of activities that reflect if time is properly spent or wasted.
 Typically kept in intervals of 30 to 60 minutes.

IV. BUDGETING AS A TOOL FOR PLANNING

Budgeting: the process of creating a financial plan that outlines expected revenues and expenditures
over a specific period, usually a fiscal year. It serves as a key tool for planning, controlling, and evaluating
an organization’s financial performance.

Purposes of Budgeting in Nursing Service

- Resource Allocation
- Cost Control
- Performance Measurement
- Planning and Forecasting
- Financial Accountability
- Quality Improvement
- Staffing Decisions
- Decision-Making Support
- Strategic Alignment
- Risk Management

Approaches to Budgeting
- INCREMENTAL BUDGET (Line-By-Line Budget)
- ZERO-BASED BUDGET
- FIXED / VARIABLE BUDGET

V. ESTABLISHING POLICIES
 Creating guidelines and protocols to govern nursing practices and resource use.
 Purpose: Promotes consistency, compliance, and quality in nursing care.

ORGANIZING: involves arranging resources and tasks to achieve the goals set during the planning phase.
This function includes designing the organizational structure, defining roles and responsibilities, and
coordinating activities among different departments or teams. Organizing ensures that the right
resources are in place to execute plans effectively.
PURPOSES OF ORGANIZING
Organizing Process Includes
ELEMENTS OF ORGANIZING
I. Setting up the Organizational Structure
II. Staffing
III. Developing Job Descriptions
IV. Scheduling
I. Organizational Structure
Depicts and identifies role and expectations, arrangement of positions and working relationships.
a. Dotted or Unbroken line – represents staff positions/staff authority
b. Centrality – refers to the location of a position on an organizational chart where frequent and
various types of communication occur. Determined by organizational distance; those with small
organizational distance receive more information than those who are more peripherally located.
c. Solid Horizontal Line – represent same positions but different functions.
d. Solid Vertical Line – chain of command form authority to subordinates (line authority)
Organizational Chart
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ORGANIZATION CHART
- Division of Work
- Chain of Command
- Type of Work to be Performed
- Grouping of Work Segments
- Levels of Management
PURPOSES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
1. It informs members of their responsibilities so that they may carry them out.
2. It allows the manager and the individual workers to concentrate on his/her specific role and
responsibilities.
3. It coordinates all organization activities so there is minimal duplication of effort or conflict.
4. It reduces the chances of doubt and confusion concerning assignments.
5. It avoids overlapping of functions because it pinpoints responsibilities.
6. It shows to whom and for whom employees are responsible.
TYPES OF ORGANIZATION
I. Functional Structure
II. Line Organization / Formal Structure
III. Informal Structure
IV. Staff Organization
I. Functional Structure
Definition: Organizes staff based on specialized functions or roles (e.g., nursing, administration, finance).
Advantages: Promotes expertise in specific areas, improves efficiency, and facilitates training.
Disadvantages: Can create silos that hinder communication across departments.
II. Line Organization / Formal Structure
Definition: A clear hierarchy where authority flows from the top down. Each position has a specific role
and responsibility.
Advantages: Clear lines of authority and responsibility, making decision-making straightforward.
Disadvantages: May be rigid and slow to adapt to changes, limiting flexibility
III. Informal Structure
Definition: An unofficial framework that develops through personal relationships and social networks
among staff.
Advantages: Facilitates communication and collaboration, fostering a supportive work environment.
Disadvantages: Can lead to misinformation or conflicting messages if not aligned with formal policies.
IV. Staff Organization
Definition: Involves support staff that assist line managers with administrative, educational, and
operational tasks. This can include nurse educators, quality assurance personnel, and other specialized
roles.
Advantages: Provides expertise and support that enhances the capabilities of front-line staff and
managers.
Disadvantages: Potential for confusion about roles and responsibilities, particularly if lines of authority
are unclear.

STAFFING: refers to the process of recruiting, selecting, training, and developing employees to fill
various roles within the organization. This function ensures that the organization has the right people
with the appropriate skills and qualifications to achieve its objectives. Staffing also includes performance
management and employee development to maintain a competent workforce.
Two Ways of Developing a Staffing Pattern
1. Determine Nursing Care Hours Needed per Patient
Generating the full time equivalents of an employee
2. Calculate Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)
Determine the nurse-patient ratio in providing nursing care
FTE – measure of work committed of full time employee
1.0 FTE = works 5 days/week, 8 hours/day
0.5 FTE = part time employee who works 5 days/2 weeks
Considerations in Staffing Pattern
1. Benchmarking: Management tool for seeking out the best practice in one’s industry so as to
improve one’s performance.
2. Regulatory Requirements – mandated by RA
3. Skill Mix – percent or ratio of professionals to non professional
4. Staff Support – staff support in place for the operations of the units or department.
5. Historical Information – review of any data on quality or staff perception regarding the
effectiveness of the previous staffing pattern
Patient Classification System
Patient Care is Classified According to:
1. Self care or minimal care patients are capable of carrying ADL
2. Intermediate or moderate care requires some help from the nursing staff with special
treatments or certain aspects of personal care
3. Total care patients are those who are bedridden and who lack strength and mobility to do
average daily living.
4. Intensive care patients are those who are critically ill and in constant danger of death or
serious injury..
Scheduling : Timetable showing planned work days and shifts for nursing personnel.
Shifting Variations
1. Traditional Shifting Patterns
• 3 shift (8 hr shift)
• 12 hr shift
• 10 hr shift
2. Weekend option
3. Rotating work shift
4. Self-scheduling – staff makes their own schedule
5. Permanent work shift
6. Floaters – “on-call”

III. Developing Job Descriptions

Creating detailed documents that outline the responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations for each
role.
Key Components:
1. Essential duties and responsibilities
2. Required qualifications and skills
3. Performance expectations and evaluation criteria
Purpose: Clarifies roles for staff, aids in recruitment, and provides a basis for performance evaluations.

IV. Scheduling
Planning and organizing work shifts to ensure adequate staffing levels at all times.
Key Considerations:
1. Balancing staffing needs with employee availability and preferences.
2. Ensuring compliance with labor laws and organizational policies.
3. Adjusting schedules based on patient volume and acuity.
Purpose: Ensures that patient care needs are met while considering staff well-being and work-life
balance.

DIRECTING: is the function of guiding and supervising employees to ensure that they are working
effectively towards the organization’s goals. This involves making decisions, communicating instructions,
motivating team members, and resolving conflicts. Effective directing ensures that everyone is aligned
with the organization’s objectives and working collaboratively.

Elements of Directing
1. Communication
2. Delegation
3. Motivation
4. Coordination
5. Evaluation
Delegation
• Act of assigning to someone else a portion of the work to be done with corresponding authority,
responsibility and accountability.
• According to ANA, it is the transfer of responsibilities for the performance of the task from one
person to another
5 rights of delegation
1. Right Task
 Be aware of institutions policy on delegation & what unlicensed personal can do
 Be aware of state practice guidelines
 Can NOT delegate- Assessments, Teaching, Care Plans
2. Right Circumstance
 Can you determine the strengths & weaknesses of team members?
*Assign based on strengths
*Encourage best care possible
*Ask about competency levels
3. Right Person
*Task MUST
 be with in scope of RN
 fall within role expectations of person delegating to
 be given to a person competent enough
 be congruent with legal requirements, professional standards, & instructional policy
 Not place patient safety as risk
4. Right Direction
How do you make sure person delegated to understands?
*Provide direction that is:
 Clear
 Concise
 Correct
 Complete
5. Right Supervision
  Ask for persons input FIRST
 Give credit for accomplishments & effort
 Share perceptions with others

Nursing Care Assignment

Also known as:
 Modalities of nursing care
 Systems of nursing care
 Patterns of nursing care
Four methods
1. Functional Nursing
- Task oriented, in which a particular nursing function is assigned to each worker.
One RN is responsible for: Administration of medication another for; Admission and discharges One
Nursing Aide/attendant is responsible for changing of linen Hygienic care
2. Total Care or Case Method Nursing
a. One nurse is assigned to one patient for the delivery of total care.
b. Nurse plans, coordinates, implements, evaluates and documents the nursing care.
c. Used in private duty nursing (PDN), ICU cases, or for clients in isolation or for nursing students.
d. Nurses are accountable for their actions.
e. Provides holistic care.
f. Works best when there are plenty nurses and patients are few.
3. Team Nursing
a. A decentralized system of care
b. A qualified professional nurse leads a group of nursing personnel in providing the nursing needs
of a group of patients/clients through participative effort.
c. Team leader assigns patients and tasks to team members according to job description.
d. Intent is to provide patient-centered care, through nursing diagnosis and implementation of
planned care.
4. Primary Nursing
a. A form of assigning responsibilities for patient care, an extension of the principle of
decentralization of authority.
b. Each registered nurse is responsible for the total care of a small group of patients from
admission to discharge.
c. Primary nurse assess the patient’s needs for care, sets goals, writes an NCP, administers plan of
care, evaluates the outcomes of care and makes necessary changes or adjustments as
necessary.

CONTROLLING: is the process of monitoring performance, comparing it with established standards, and
taking corrective action when necessary. This function involves setting performance metrics, collecting
data, and analyzing results to ensure that organizational goals are being met. Controlling helps
managers identify deviations from plans and implement adjustments to stay on track.
- Also called “EVALUATING”
- An on going function of management which occurs during planning, organizing and directing
activities
- Process wherein the performance is measured and corrective action is taken to ensure the
accomplishment of organizational goal
PURPOSES OF CONTROLLING
 Open opportunities for improvement
  Compare performance against set standards
 Provides information about how well processes and people function
 Reinforce correct behavior and implement corrective action
STEPS IN CONTROL PROCESS
 Establish standards and criteria
 Measure performance
 Compare results with standards
EVALUATION PRINCIPLES
1. Must be based on behavioral standards of performance with the position requirement
2. There should be enough time to observe employee’s behavior
3. Employee should be given a copy of the ff. Before scheduled evaluation
Job description
Performance standards
Evaluation forms
4. Performance appraisal should include both satisfactory and unsatisfactory results
5. Areas needing improvement must be prioritized
6. Should be scheduled and conducted at a convenient time for both evaluator and employee
7. Should be structured in such a way that it is perceived and accepted positively as a means of
improving job performance
CHARACTERISTICS OF EVALUATION TOOL
 Objectivity
 Reliability
 Sensitivity
 Validity
TYPES OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
1. STRUCTURE
 Focus on the management system or structure used by the agency in the delivery of
care
 Includes:
 Number and categories of nursing personnel
 Education
 Personal and professional qualities
 Function
 Physical facilities
 Equipments
TYPES OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
 A control process in which employee's performance is evaluated against standards
 The most valuable tool in controlling human resources and productivity
 Reflects how well a personnel have performed during a specific period of time
PURPOSE OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
1. Determine salary and merit increases
2. Select qualified individual for promotion or transfer
3. Identify unsatisfactory employees for demotion or termination
4. Make inventories of talents within an institution
5. Determine training and developmental needs of employees
6. Improve performance of work group
7. Improve communication between supervisors and employees
 8. Establish standards of supervisory performance
9. Provide recognition of employee for accomplishments
10. Inform employees “where they stand”
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL TOOLS
 Essay
 Checklist
 Forced choice comparison
 Ranking
 Rating scale
 Anecdotal recording