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ANALYZING A LEADER OR MANAGER ROLE
Analyzing a Leader or Manager Role
NURS 440
Ferris State University
Tara Jo Zander
Abstract
This paper analyzes the leadership or management role of the Spectrum Health United Emergencydepartment director C.K.I havereferenced the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) to compare the role of the ED director with the national competencies standards.
Analyzing a Leader or Manager Role
The AONE has created a list of competencies that a nurse leader or manager should have experience in. This list of competencies includes: communication and relationship building, knowledge of the health care environment, leadership, professionalism, and business skills (AONE, 2011)
For this assignment I interviewed our Director of Emergency Department C.K.. She has been director of our department for about one year. She has most recently become the interim director for our social services department also. C.K. received her nursing license thru Butterworth Hospital School of Nursing. She then went to the University of Michigan for her bachelor’s degree in nursing. From there she obtained her master’s degree in nursing thru the University of Phoenix. One of the requirements for the director position is a bachelor’s degree.
Roles and Responsibilities
The official role that C.K. carries is Director of Emergency Department and also interim Director of Social Services. This role holds many responsibilities. One of the biggest is the budget for staffing and equipment. The budget only allows for a specific amount of staffing. When there is a need for more staffing, we have to prove the need before the financial department will approve for more.Equipment budget is always a struggle. There is always a need for new or more equipment. C.K. also takes responsibility for the patient satisfaction of the department. It is nearly impossible to satisfy every patient in the emergency department. The monthly patient satisfaction surveys are available for us to review.
Communication and Relationship Building
The AONE states that the competent leader or manager should be able to communicate effectively and manage relationships. This includes influencing behaviors, handling diversity, shared decision making, and being involved in the community. To have appropriate medical, staff, and academic relationships is also important (AONE, 2011).
C.K. has an open door policy. If she is in the department and her door is open- you are welcome to come in. C.K. is typically in the department early to communicate with the night shift. Our previous manager would come in from nine to five daily. Night shift would go months without seeing her. It is great to have a manager you actually see on a daily basis.
Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
The AONE states that a competent leader should have knowledge in clinical practice, patient care delivery systems, health care economics and policies. This also includes governance, evidence-based practice, patient safety, utilization and case management, quality improvement and risk management (AONE, 2011)
C.K. has experience in many different nursing fields. She has worked as a critical care nurse, endoscopy, office nursing, patient relations, and clinical manager of an urgent care and occupational medicine. All of these roles have increased her knowledge to become a great leader.
Leadership Influences
The AONE describes a good leader as having fundamental thinking skills, personal journey disciplines, use system thinking, succession planning, and be able to change management (AONE, 2011)
C.K. states she was influenced by a previous supervisor. C.K. said that when she worked in patient relations, her supervisor did a great job. She was open and honest with her employees. She worked on team building a lot. C.K. states that she obtained a lot of her supervisor skills from this person. This person was let go from the practice due to budget cuts. This was very hard for C.K. to handle. She states she worked for the replacement supervisor for one year and realized she didn’t like the way the new supervisor was running the practice. This is when she made the decision to become a supervisor herself. She became the manager of an Urgent Care Center and Occupational Medicine Office.
Business Skills
The AONE feels a competent leader or manager should have experience in financial management, human resource management, strategic management, marketing, and informational management and technology (AONE, 2011)
C.K. admits this is one of her weakest skills. She states that this is her least favorite task of the job. New knowledge of the financial aspect of a business has increased her abilities to effectively manage the Emergency Department.
Organizational Structure and Philosophy
C.K.’s philosophy, in regards to being a director is to be honest, consistent, and open-minded. She states she will inform us of any changes as soon as the information is available. There are a lot of changes happening in the Emergency Department at this time. She states she will be supportive with the changes by decreasing frustrations and being an advocate for staff. C.K. is not afraid to stand up for staff, but she also holds staff accountable for their actions. Spectrum Health’s nursing philosophy is “Nursing leaders inspire and foster professional growth. We are stewards of our resources and advocates for safe, compassionate and healing environments.”(Spectrum Health, 2014)
Organizational Chart
Within the organizational chart, C.K. reports to the Chief Nursing Officer, who reports to the President of Spectrum Health United Hospital. The department Clinical Supervisors report to C.K.. The charge nurses, floor nurses, techs and unit secretaries report to the Clinical Supervisors.
Conclusion
There are many different roles a leader or manager must take on. Many of these are included within the body of this paper. In interviewing the director, I have a new respect for the different roles and responsibilities she has. It takes a lot of knowledge and experience in many different fields to be able to be a good leader or manager. I feel that our director does a great job and is a good influence for our staff.
References
Nursing Philosophy. (2014). In Spectrum Health. Retrieved October 4, 2014, from
The AONE Nurse Executives Competencies. (2011). Retrieved October 4, 2014, from
Yoder-Wise (2011). Leading & Managing in Nursing (5th ed). St. Louis, MO: Saunders.