Teste no tempo: da teoria clássica da administração à organização atual do trabalho de Enfermagem.

Background: Henri Fayol’s Classical Management Theory was based on an administrative vision marked by predictability, organisation, command, coordination, and control. To implement this administrative paradigm, fourteen general principles of management were defined. Objectives: To identify nurses’ representations of the current health administrative practices and analyse the extent to which these representations are in line with the principles of the Classical Management Theory. Methodology: Qualitative descriptive exploratory study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, with previously defined categories corresponding to the fourteen general principles of management. These interviews were conducted to eight nurses, with heterogeneous professional features and chosen by rational selection. Results: Interviewed nurses’ representations show that for them the current health administration is relatively close to the principles advocated by Fayol. Conclusion: The present study highlights that the discussion with nurses about changing the health work organisation is major when developing the best management strategies for the organisation of these professionals’ work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]