Knowledge mapping of the newborn intensive care unit using social network analysis

Abstract

Knowledge Management (KM) is recognised as a vehicle through which innovation and improved business performance is possible. KM has also been defined as the establishment of a management system of cognitive flows which enables all components of an organisation to enrich the corporate knowledge. Knowledge flows refer to the transfer of expertise. The flow of knowledge is strategically important to organisations for several reasons. It can improve the communication and transformation between tacit and explicit knowledge, as well as, promote the regeneration of tacit knowledge. In the nursing care, the demand for high quality nursing care and their knowledge are increases and needs. Acquiring knowledge from the doctors and their colleagues regards as the main way to exchange knowledge. Communication conducted through informal mechanisms is a more reliable for the flow of knowledge. To understand how successfully during a team’s development, an efficient knowledge flow frequently involves overcoming problems that affect the team, the relationship between them and other functions inside and outside the network are very important. The knowledge flow is influenced by different factors, both facilitating and hindering. Identifying the factors can better help organisations understand the current situation in the department and develop policies through organization accordingly. This paper begins with the literature reviews of the definition of KM theories, the knowledge flow, and Social Networks (SNs) theory. Questionnaire survey to identify social network analysis, knowledge sources, communication methods, and knowledge types were carried out. UCINET and NetDraw software package were used to analyses quantitative data and presented sociogram of the network. Social Network Analysis and Knowledge mapping within NICU1 was conducted from the five key actors. As a result, it shows that nursing operational skill is the most frequently consulted type of knowledge among nurses. Face-to-face communication and Line application identified as the most generally used communication methods. Moreover, the result shows that consulting with the doctors and other nurses was the most ways to acquire knowledge. Furthermore, an online interview was carried out with three of the experts. Eleven hindering factors and six facilitating factors in the NICU1 team were obtained. The knowledge flow framework of the department was constructed by combining the influencing factors and the previously obtained communication methods and knowledge types. Validation is done with three experts for the constructed knowledge flow framework and improving the knowledge flow framework based on the feedback.