Abstract

The job skills involved in nursing make it possible to reduce inequalities and limited access to services, and to support safe and quality care. The training nurses receive is fundamental to the composition and dynamics of the nursing work force, the quality and appropriateness of nursing care, and the development of institutional capacity in the health sector. Objective: The study was designed to answer two questions: What are the current requirements for nurses in the field of management and administration; and what nursing management skills are most important and how do they relate to health care management? Method: The literature review began by exploring the field in terms of current contexts and challenges to the profession. The bibliographic search involved several the databases; namely, the Cochrane Library, Lilacs, CINAHL, Dialnet, the University of La Rioja, ProQuest, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Business Source Premier, SciELO and Scopus. In all, 4,697 articles were found. When the search was narrowed, 51 technical papers were selected. Results: The studies that prioritize management skills coincide in that the most important ones are: communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and interpersonal and leadership skills. As for leadership, the priority is on personal mastery, interpersonal effectiveness, financial management and human resources. Conclusions: Management and leadership skills must be based on sound knowledge and experience. Moreover, the concept of management and leadership is complementary to the role of nurses in providing care. Transformational and relational leadership are needed to improve the satisfaction of nurses.