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FROM CLINICIANS TO MANAGERS: LEARNING MANAGEMENT THROUGH PRACTICE

Wan Mariam WAR

Introduction: There are identifiable managerial skills and areas of knowledge, which
dental nurses, through their training and experience, have not acquired. Objectives: To
develop a better understanding of the challenges faced by dental nurses who are assigned
managerial roles within the oral health service. Results: Based on in-depth interviews with
nine oral health personnel in Sarawak, Malaysia, it was found that the dental nurses who
are assigned managerial positions obtained their knowledge through in-house training to
comply with the service expectations in their performance as managers. Having identified
those deficits, a framework for the post promotion training-needs has been proposed to
design appropriate management development interventions for the dental nurses, to
equip them with the missing knowledge and skills. Conclusion: Higher management
support may influence the organisation to revise dental nurses’ current situations,
especially in allowing them to pursue relevant managerial courses formally.

Keywords: Clinicians, Dental nurses, Management, Dental managers

Published in INTAN Management Journal Vol 17, 2021
Dr Wan Mariam binti Wan Abdul Rahman
Miri Divisional Dental Office
Sarawak
Malaysia

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