Tasks of nursing program chairpersons as perceived by deans, chairpersons and faculty

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to examine to commonalities and differences among nursing deans, chairpersons and faculty, regarding what each group believed the activities of a nursing program chairperson should be. It was also the purpose of this study to compare the expectations of respondents from small, medium and large schools as well as from public and private schools. Procedure. An instrument was developed through a modified Delphi process involving input from deans, chairpersons and faculty of nursing schools. The data collection consisted of administering the instrument to three subject groups. Participants consisted of nursing deans, chairpersons and faculty from 28 nursing schools having at least a baccalaureate program. These schools were located in five states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico. The total sample consisted of 790 faculty, 50 chairpersons and 28 deans. Results and Conclusions. Results of data analyses revealed that the three subject groups agreed that certain tasks performed by the chairperson were very important. Items given especially high ratings addressed behaviors such as providing information to the faculty regarding institutional plans, interacting with administration on behalf of the faculty, involving faculty in the decision making of the department and making recommendations to the dean regarding faculty tenure, raises and promotions. Deans, chairpersons and faculty considered chairperson tasks related to faculty careers and development as more important than those tasks related to departmental activities, teaching activities and student activities. Items which yielded differences which were both practically and statistically significant addressed tasks surrounding involvement in student related activities. Deans believed chairpersons should be more involved in student related activities than did faculty. Respondents from private schools also believed the chairperson should be more involved in student related activities. Respondents from small schools believed the chairperson should be more involved in departmental and student activities than did respondents from large schools.