First line nurse managers: optimizing the span of control.

Span of control, the number of people reporting to a manager, is an important management concept. It determines the structure of an organization and has financial, human resource, and quality of care implications. In nursing, the first line manager fills one of the most critical roles in the administration of nursing services. For this manager to perform her responsibilities effectively, an optimal span of control is necessary. Span of control is influenced by a number of factors. By understanding these factors, we can influence them to optimize the span of control of the nurse manager.