Currie, Norma (1999) The management of the non-clinical knowledge of nurses within North Western Health. Coursework Master thesis, Victoria University of Technology.

Abstract

Changes that have occurred within the business sector since the end of World War II have created an interest in the knowledge held within organisations. How this knowledge is used impacts upon both the organisation and the individual. Knowledge takes several forms, including explicit and tacit knowledge. That is, knowledge can be written down or explained and knowledge can be part of an individual's intuitions and beliefs and can not be documented. This project investigates the knowledge held within North Western Health and how this knowledge is used. To determine the knowledge sources within the organisation the non-clinical knowledge of the nurses within a single business unit of a single hospital within North Western Health was examined. To determine how well this knowledge was being utilised the nurses and the managers within this business unit were interviewed. The results have implications for the organisation as well as the individual business unit and wards. There is a large amount of knowledge held by staff, including language skills, management skills, computer skills and counselling skills to name a few. However there are no mechanisms to document or access this knowledge. Where managers know of individuals with particular knowledge or skills there is a reluctance to exploit them. Employees have indicated a lack of trust of management and a reluctance to use their non-clinical knowledge because of the effect that this will have on their patients.

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