Need Help for Leadership

Specialties Management

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I am a taking a nursing leadership and management course. The assignment is to post a leadership/management question. I did that on two other forums, but I have not had any replies. Thanks in advance for any response. Here is my question:

What makes an effective nursing leader/manager in today's world of rapid change with downsizing and restructuring?

You pretty-much said it in a "nutshell" with your words "rapid change, downsizing, and restructuring." I don't know how a nurse manager can stay "sane" in all this turmoil. If the manager stays loyal to her staff, this will help immensely. I worked on a unit where this was not the case. It was difficult to have any cohesiveness among the staff with a manager that catered to the administration, and only looked out for her own best interests. She tried to hide this, but we knew! So, if a manager does anything while in the midst of this chaotic mess, it is to stay loyal to her staff.

Specializes in Hospice and palliative care.

Hello! smile.gif

I agree with the previous poster...a manager that advocates for and listens to his/her staff will go a long way. There is a manager at my facility who I think is the epitome of bad managers. He does not care one wit about the welfare of his staff and does not advocate for them. In addition, he is a very poor communicator. So add communication to your list of qualities needed for an effective manager.

As bad as this manager is, he has done one good thing...he has inspired me to consider enrolling in a "health leadership" program (I'm already in an NP program). If I can do anything to counteract the negative influence this person has, I figure we will all be better off!

Good luck to you with the rest of your course! smile.gif

Laurie

Having been through one merger and in the midst of another, one of the toughest things a manager needs to do is justify cutbacks to her staff. Be there. Observe the needs of the staff. Be sincerely interested and empathetic to their concerns. Do not choose dictatorship for your form of leadership. The last thing staff will want to hear is "this is how we are going to do things now" from someone who may not know all the facts of actually delivering patient care. Patient acuity is so much higher than it use to be with less nursing to do the care. Use empowerment...be upfront as to what you need to do from management standpoint..then ask for their thoughts on how to accomplish the endpoint without hindering patient care or causing further burnout of staff. Remain as positive as possible, which believe me, is tough. But when staff see you crump, they figure things will only get worse. Managers need stress management more than anyone...

one NewYear's resolution for my is Jazzercize!!!

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Thanks folks. I appreciate all of your responses and for you giving of your time to answer. I especially thank oncRN because I had not thought of staff's reaction if they see their leader crump. Oh, I can just imagine morale sinking in this situation.

Thanks again to everyone.

[This message has been edited by Smitty (edited December 08, 2000).]

As a manager, you have to lead by example. Roll up your sleeves and show them you will do what you ask of them. Not all the time, part of management is about appropriate delegation. You work hard, you inspire people to work hard. It allows you to say " Yes, I know how it is", without them laughing out loud and peeing on themselves. You have got to show your staff that you can be down in the trenches with them and survive the day. Sounds cheesy, but it's true.

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