Author Question: The primary care physician's office employs five nurses and two unlicensed assistive personnel. One ... (Read 83 times)

lak · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

The primary care physician's office employs five nurses and two unlicensed assistive personnel. One nurse has the role of manager. One member of the staff is the best friend of the nurse manager.

The other nurses and office staff think there is favoritism and unfair division of workload because of this relationship. Evaluate this situation, and then choose the most appropriate action needed when the nurse manager overhears the staff's comments.

1. The primary care provider should make a decision about how best to minimize the perception of favoritism.
2. The nurse manager should discuss the issue with her friend and decide how to
minimize the perception of favoritism.
3. The nurse manager should meet to discuss the staff's concerns and then ask for
input to promote a more equitable distribution of the workload.
4. The nurse manager should ignore her friend at work to reduce the appearance of
favoritism.

Question 2

Which statement best describes how a nurse manager might facilitate a positive change in an employee?

1. The nurse manager threatens to decrease evaluation scores if the behavior
continues.
2. At the end of each week, the nurse manager will offer verbal encouragement to
the staff member if the desired level of behavior is met.
3. If the behavior continues, the nurse manager will order the staff member to work
overtime.
4. The nurse manager threatens to refuse break periods if the behavior continues.

jsm54321 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Answer: 3

Rationale: Upon hearing of the staff's perception, the nurse manager should openly discuss it with the staff members to facilitate open, honest communication. Inviting staff to contribute to the solution fosters respect and intentionality towards a team effort. The primary care provider should not be involved in a nursing decision. It will not help decrease the perception of favoritism if the nurse manager and her friend make the decision. The nurse manager needs to take the initiative to discuss it with the staff before the staff have opportunity or need to confront the issue. Ignoring the problem will do little to reduce the tensions that are resulting in the office environment.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: 2

Rationale: When the nurse manager facilitates behavior changes instead of ordering them, staff are much more motivated to change unwanted behaviors. Positive reinforcements are more likely to promote positive changes. Threats are not a productive manner in which to motivate staff. The evaluation process will be called into play if the staff member does not conform to the desired level of behavior, but it should be a known consequence for behaviors noted, not based upon threats. Working overtime is based upon need for the unit, not related to staff member discipline. Legally, members of the nursing staff are entitled to break periods. Restricting lunch or break periods for discipline could be cause for the nurse manager to receive a reprimand.