Chapter 15: Managing Resources: Time
Learning Outcome 1
Examine basic principles of time management.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Time management is the ability to manage and lead people with different concepts of
time, requiring patience and knowledge. Time impacts individuals in complex ways;
2. Effective communication, including clear messages and feedback, facilitates time
3. Planning is critical for the effective use of time, and can actually exceed the time required
to implement an activity. It charts the course of action, outlining tasks in order of
4. Delegation is used by the nurse leader as a way to ensure that the work of the
organization is completed on schedule. The most efficient and effective use of time is
5. Prioritizing involves ordering goals, tasks, and responsibilities from the most important to
least important, and involves knowledge about the leader’s role and the nature of work to
PowerPoint Slides
1. Time management
• Ability to manage and lead people with different concepts of time
• Requires patience and knowledge.
• Intended to foster good work habits that use time productively
• Time impacts individuals in complex ways:
2. Communicating
• Includes clear messages and feedback.
3. Planning
• Critical for effective use of time
4. Delegating
• Ensures the work of the organization is completed on schedule.
5. Prioritizing goals
• Ordering goals, tasks, and responsibilities from most important to least important
• Involves knowledge about the leader’s role and nature of the work to be completed.
Case Study: Prioritization and Communication Goals
Suggestions for Classroom Activities
• As a homework or in-class assignment, have students draw a chart (i.e., flow chart) of
the principles of time management. Have them write a few sentences about each
Reference
Learning Outcome 2
Explore time management strategies.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Time management strategies are practical techniques to preserve, conserve, structure, and
use time well to meet goals. Managing time is an individual experience, and how an
individual best manages time can vary, and is referred to as a time style. Time styles are
based on personality characteristics and habit, and have been categorized on dominant
behavioral preferences:
a. Action-oriented: The action-oriented individual views time in the present, and
2. Time analysis can be used to discover one’s style; it starts with recording all activities in
15–30-minute blocks for approximately 1 week. Then the log can be used for analysis. It
3. Having daily, weekly, and monthly plans is effective when time frames correspond with
the nurse leader’s responsibility. Ultimately, all long and short-range goals and activities
4. Crisis control is accomplished when communication and delegation of a new plan are
reorganized around priorities to manage an unexpected event. No amount of planning can
5. Problem analysis is an essential skill that relates to time management for effective nurse
leaders; in making decisions about what to do or not to do, they are also making decisions
6. Task analysis is one of the most efficient ways to save time, by evaluating the tasks that
are performed. The nurse leader can discover which tasks are of low value and can be
7. Time control is when the nurse leader is unavailable to others for personal office time to
PowerPoint Slides
1. Time management strategies
• Practical techniques to preserve, conserve, structure, and use time well
• Managing time is an individual experience, and varies between individuals.
• Time styles are based on dominant personality characteristics and habit:
o Action-oriented: Views time in present.
2. Time analysis
• Used to discover an individual’s style
• Start by recording all activities in 15–30-minute blocks for approximately 1 week.
• Log can be used for analysis.
3. Daily planning
• It is the nurse leader’s responsibility to have daily, weekly, and monthly plans.
4. Crisis control
• Accomplished when communication and delegation of a new plan are reorganized
around priorities to manage an unexpected event
• No amount of planning can prevent periodic crises.
• The four principles of time management are most important during a crisis.
• A team of people will be involved in the resolution of the crisis:
5. Problem analysis
• Essential skill that relates to time management
• Making decisions about what to do or what not to do is also making decisions
about effective and ineffective use of time.
• Nurse leaders must be able to distinguish a crisis from an urgent or important
event:
6. Task analysis
• One of the most efficient ways to save time
• Evaluating tasks that are performed
7. Time control
• When nurse leader is unavailable to others for personal office time
• Interruptions are controlled; only important messages are allowed.
Figure 15-1: Sample time log sheet for time analysis
Case Study: Time Management and Delegation
Suggestions for Classroom Activities
• Have students organize themselves into groups based on the time style they think suits
Reference
• Tager, M.J. (1992). Time styles, time management, personal action. New York: Great
Learning Outcome 3
Identify barriers to time management.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Being aware of barriers to effective time management alerts the nurse leader to possible
2. Habits are comfortable ways of behaving because they do not require conscious thought.
Habits are also very difficult to change, because people are creatures of habit. Certain
3. Work expansion occurs when people use the whole time allotted for a specific task, when
the task really didn’t take that long. Time frames are attached to work to provide realistic
4. Excessive supervision or micromanagement of a competent professional can present
5. Underdelegation occurs when a nurse leader does not delegate appropriately and ends up
6. Technology is a huge help to the health care industry, but it can bog a nurse leader down
7. Losing sight of objectives in the work that needs to be accomplished is a waste of time.
PowerPoint Slides
1. Barriers to effective time management
• Awareness of barriers alerts the nurse leader to possible pitfalls.
2. Habit
• Comfortable way of behaving
• Doesn’t require conscious thought.
3. Work expansion
• Occurs when people use the whole time allotted for a specific task, even if the
task didn’t take so long.
• Time frames are attached to work to provide realistic guidelines:
4. Excessive supervision
• Also known as micromanagement
• Can present interpersonal and time problems.
• Nurse leaders must know:
5. Underdelegation
• Occurs when a nurse leader does not delegate appropriately.
• Results in more work than necessary.
6. Technology invasion
• Huge help to health care industry
• Tools for efficiency
7. Losing sight of objectives
• Obvious waste of time
Suggestions for Classroom Activities
• Split the class into six groups, and assign each one a barrier from the list. Have them
Reference
• Reprogram your life. (2006). Economist, 379(8481), 14.
GENERAL CHAPTER CONSIDERATIONS
1. Have students study and learn key terms listed at the beginning of the chapter.
2. Have students complete end-of-chapter exercises either in their book or on the MyNursingKit
Web site.
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