Running head: ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER

Analyzing a Nurse Manager Abbey Longstreth and assie S!hulte "erris State Uni#ersity

ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER Analyzing a Nurse Manager

Ni!ole %ills& the Nurse Manager o' (G)*igesti#e *iseases at S+e!tru, -ealth .lodgett -os+ital& agreed to be inter#ie/ed regarding her !urrent 0ob duties and e1+e!tations2 Ni!ole has been the Nurse Manager o' this unit 'or one and a hal' years no/& ,a3ing both ,anaging and digesti#e diseases4illnesses her !urrent e1+ertise2 5rior to holding this +osition& Ni!ole /or3ed as a registered nurse in 5rogressi#e are 'or one year& I U 'or 'our years& and as a -os+ital Su+er#isor 'or one and a hal' years2 Ni!ole !ontinues to enhan!e and build u+on her edu!ational ba!3ground2 She started her !areer by obtaining her asso!iates degree in nursing 6A*N7& 'ollo/ed by her ba!helor8s degree in nursing 6.SN72 In addition& she has her ,aster o' s!ien!e in nursing 6MSN7 /ith an ad,inistrati#e 'o!us2 urrently& Ni!ole is !ontinuing her edu!ation by /or3ing to/ards attaining

her ,aster o' business ad,inistration 6M.A7 /ith a health!are 'o!us2 In addition to her edu!ational +re+aration& it /as ,andatory 'or Ni!ole to be!o,e Nurse E1e!uti#e).oard erti'ied 6NE). 7 in order to be the Nurse Manager o' (G2 Job Description and Related Duties %hen as3ed to des!ribe her !urrent 0ob& Ni!ole e1+lained that leading and ,anaging the unit /as her +ara,ount res+onsibility2 9his in!ludes& but is not li,ited to: :,anaging +er'or,an!e& ,anaging the budget& hiring& su!!ession +lanning& salary +lanning& +ro!ess i,+ro#e,ent& +ayroll& sta'' ,eetings& and general o+erations on a day to day basis;2 She stated that i' she had to sele!t one& ,anaging the +er'or,an!e o' her sta'' /ould be her ,ost !ru!ial duty& in order to assure a!!ura!y and +atient sa'ety2 Not only does Ni!ole e#aluate her sta'' on a day to day basis& but she also +er'or,s yearly e#aluations /ith ea!h sta'' ,e,ber& during /hi!h they establish goals 'or the e,+loyee to a!!o,+lish during the ne1t year2 9his te!hni<ue is

Running head: ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER

3no/n as ,anage,ent by ob0e!ti#es& /hi!h :re<uires that the e,+loyee establishes !lear and ,easurable ob0e!ti#es at the beginning o' ea!h rating +eriod; 6Yoder)%ise& $>1(& +2 =>(72 In regards to the organizational 'lo/ o' S+e!tru, -ealth& Ni!ole 'alls right in the ,iddle2 Ni!ole has #arious e,+loyees that re+ort to dire!tly to her& in!luding the nurses& nursing assistants& unit se!retaries and unit aides2 9y+i!ally& this nu,ber adds u+ to be around (? e,+loyees2 -o/e#er& Ni!ole is !urrently /or3ing as an interi, ,anager o' a se!ond unit during a transitional +eriod@ thus& she !urrently has o#er 1>> e,+loyees re+orting dire!tly to her2 %ills is then res+onsible 'or re+orting to the *ire!tor o' Nursing& /ho then re+orts to the hie' Nursing E1e!uti#e2 Collaboration ollaboration is the :sharing o' +lanning& ,a3ing de!isions& sol#ing +roble,& setting goals& assu,ing res+onsibility& /or3ing together !oo+erati#ely& !o,,uni!ating& and !oordinating o+enly; 6Gardner& $>>?72 A'ten ti,es& being an e''e!ti#e ,anager in#ol#es !ollaborating /ith ,ulti+le di''erent +eo+le /ith #arying areas o' e1+ertise2 Ni!ole e1+lained that she !ollaborates /ith the sta'' on her unit through ,andatory sta'' ,eetings& Shared Leadershi+ ounsel& and daily rounding2 In addition& she al/ays e1+resses to her sta'' that her :door is al/ays o+en;& allo/ing 'or !onstant& o+en !o,,uni!ation2 In order to ensure the unit runs s,oothly and e''e!ti#ely& !ollaboration /ith other areas& su!h as the laboratory& 'ood ser#i!es& et!2 is also ne!essary2 9o address +roble,s& !on!erns& or +otential !hanges& Ni!ole !o,,uni!ates /ith other areas 6i2e2 'ood ser#i!es7 through e,ail& one on one ,eetings& and larger hos+ital)based ,eetings2 Ni!ole des!ribed !ollaborating /ith ,anagers o' other units as :easy;2 She e1+lained that all o' the ,anagers /or3 #ery !losely /ith one another2 Ni!ole des!ribed it as being

ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER

:!ohesi#e in nature;& allo/ing 'or o+en !o,,uni!ation2 In order to !o,,uni!ate e''e!ti#ely /ith one another& the ,anagers o' .lodgett ,eet at least t/i!e daily as a grou+& on!e in the ,orning and on!e at the daily sta''ing ,eeting2 In addition to !ollaborating on usual to+i!s& the unit ,anagers also 0oin together /hen /or3ing on hos+ital)/ide initiati#es2 %hen nurses& and nurse ,anagers& !ollaborate /ith one another& :de!ision ,a3ing be!o,es a !olle!ti#e +ro!ess in /hi!h a!tion +lans are ,utually understood and i,+le,ented; 6Yoder)%ise& $>1(& +2 (B=72 Legal and Ethical Issues Ni!ole stated that although she is not !urrently dealing /ith an ethi!al or legal issue& the ,ost !o,,on issue that she deals /ith are ,atters regarding +atient !on!erns regarding their !are2 -o/e#er& Ni!ole said that this is lu!3ily not a !o,,on issue she is 'a!ed /ith2 She ensured that i' there /as a legal issue on her unit& that she /ould :in#ol#e the Ris3 Manager;2 9he ris3 ,anage,ent de+art,ent has se#eral duties& in!luding s+e!i'ying situations that !an hurt the syste, 'inan!ially 6su!h as ,edi!ation errors or +atient 'alls7& the regularity o' these situations& in#estigating the situations& and identi'ying the ris3s and /ays to +re#ent the situation 'ro, o!!urring again 6Yoder)%ise& $>1(72 %hen as3ed about +atient sa'ety on her unit& Ni!ole ad,itted that the la!3 o' a++ro+riate use o' gait belts is an ongoing issue2 She stated that :+atient sa'ety is al/ays our nu,ber one !on!ern& and !onsistent use o' gait belts hel+s to ensure this;2 Ni!ole e1+lained that the +ro+er use o' gait belts /ould i,+ro#e our +atients8 o#erall sa'ety and bene'it the organization as /ell by lo/ering the nu,ber o' +atient 'alls2 Power and Influence

Running head: ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER

Yoder)%ise 6$>1(7 de'ines in'luen!e as :the +ro!ess o' using +o/er; 6+2 1C172 %hen as3ed about her +ersonal +o/er and in'luen!e on the unit& Ni!ole +ro#ided so,e instan!es o' /hen she has to en'or!e her +o/er and ,a3e e1e!uti#e de!isions& as /ell as e1a,+les o' /hen she e,+o/ers the nurses and sta'' on the 'loor to ,a3e de!isions2 E1a,+les o' /hen Ni!ole uses her +o/er to in'luen!e !hange in!lude de!isions regarding budget& ,anaging +er'or,an!e& hiring& +ayroll& and so 'orth2 %hen de!isions need to be ,ade regarding +ro!ess i,+ro#e,ent& sta'' ,eetings& and general o+erations on a day to day basis& Ni!ole stated that she o'ten ti,es in!ludes her sta'' and as3s 'or their in+ut2 Yoder)%ise 6$>1(7 de'ines e,+o/er,ent as :the +ro!ess by /hi!h +o/er is shared /ith !olleagues and +atients as +art o' the nurse8s e1er!ise o' +o/er; 6+2 1C$72 Ni!ole is e,+o/ering her sta'' by !ollaborating and allo/ing the, to e1er!ise their +o/er2 Sharing o' the +o/er !ould hel+ strengthen the organization as a /hole& /hile ,a3ing ea!h sta'' ,e,ber 'eel as though their de!isions and +oint o' #ie/s ,atter2 In turn& this !ould bene'it the !are that the +atients re!ei#e by i,+ro#ing ,oods& /orth ethi!& and a!!ountability o' the sta''2 Decision-Making and Problem- ol!ing %hen it !o,es to de!ision),a3ing and +roble,)sol#ing& Ni!ole e1+lained that although she has the ability and the +o/er to ,a3e de!isions 'or the entire unit& she +re'ers to !ollaborate and ,a3e grou+ de!isions2 -o/e#er& there are instan!es in /hi!h she needs to ,a3e authoritati#e de!isions2 Ane e1a,+le that Ni!ole ga#e /as the Shared Leadershi+ ounsel2 9his organization holds a ,eeting ea!h ,onth on her unit and in#ites all sta'' to 0oin2 9he ,eeting +ro#ides an o++ortunity 'or e#eryone to #oi!e their o+inions regarding +otential !hanges to be ,ade on the unit2 %hen a++ro+riate& !hanges are #oted u+on and then trialed on the unit to e#aluate their e''e!ti#eness2

ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER

9he Shared Leadershi+ ounsel is not s+e!i'i! to Ni!ole8s unit& in 'a!t& it is S+e!tru,) /ide2 9his allo/s 'or de+art,ents to !ollaborate and share /hat has ,ost bene'ited their units and +atient out!o,es2 Shared Leadershi+ +ositi#ely e''e!ts the organization and +atients& as it allo/s 'or sharing o' the +o/er& grou+ de!ision),a3ing and +roble,)sol#ing& and i,+ro#ed +atient out!o,es2 Management " Resolution of Conflict %hen as3ed about ho/ she ,anages and hel+s to resol#e !on'li!t& Ni!ole stated that she tries to ,aintain o+en and honest !o,,uni!ation /ith her sta'' ,e,bers2 .y stating that her :door is al/ays o+en;& she 'eels that this hel+s to !reate an o+en and honest relationshi+2 9here are #arious di''erent /ays to deal /ith !on'li!t2 Yoder)%ise 6$>1(7 na,es 'i#e a++roa!hes that !an be used in resol#ing !on'li!t& /hi!h are 3no/n as a#oiding& a!!o,,odating& !o,+eting& !o,+ro,ising& and !ollaborating 6+2 (DE)(B=72 Ni!ole did not +ro#ide a s+e!i'i! e1a,+le o' /hen she re!ently hel+ed to resol#e !on'li!t& but she did a!3no/ledge that she ty+i!ally uses !ollaboration /hen ,anaging !on'li!t2 ollaborating allo/s one to :/or3 /ith others to e1+lores their disagree,ent& generate alternati#es& and 'ind a ,utually satis'ying solution; 6North arolina& n2d272 9his a++roa!h in#ol#es negotiation and !o,+ro,ise on behal' o' e#eryone in#ol#ed in the !on'li!t2 Ni!ole 'eels that this a++roa!h is the ,ost bene'i!ial in ,eeting e#eryone8s needs2 9his !an a''e!t both the +atient and the organization& 0ust as any ,ode o' !on'li!t resolution2 9he +atients8 needs& sa'ety& and satis'a!tion should al/ays be ,et& regardless i' there is a !on'li!t going on /ithin the organization2 Conclusion

Running head: ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER

Nurse Managers ha#e #arious 0ob res+onsibilities su!h as ,anaging the +er'or,an!e o' their sta''& budget& +ayroll& sta'' ,eetings& and so 'orth2 Ni!ole engages in o+en& honest !o,,uni!ation& /hi!h has lead to the de#elo+,ent o' a trusting relationshi+ /ith her sta'' and 'ello/ !o)/or3ers2 In addition& Ni!ole o'ten !ollaborates and shares her +o/er4in'luen!e /ith nurses and su++orting sta''& /hen a++ro+riate2 9his allo/s 'or the de#elo+,ent o' grou+ de!isions and the e,+o/er,ent o' the sta''2

ANALYZING A NURSE MANAGER Re'eren!es

Gardner& *2 6$>>?72 9en lessons in !ollaboration2 The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing& 10& doi: 1>2=E1$4AFIN2Gol1>No>1Man>1 North arolina State Uni#erstiy2 6n2d272 Conflict resolution2 Retrie#ed 'ro, htt+:44health!enter2n!su2edu4!ounseling)!enter4resour!es4,ental)health)and)/ellness) to+i!s4!on'li!t)resolution4 Yoder)%ise& 52 6$>1(72 Leading and managing in nursing2 6?th ed272 St2 Louis& MA: Mosby2