What leadership styles should Natalie use to create a positive work environment?

Case Study Academic-Clinical Partnership and Team Cohesion (Textbook page 54)

Natalie Busby was recently hired as a department nurse manager by a regional not-for-profit healthcare system. She has a master’s degree preparation in nursing administration. Natalie served as a nurse manager at a small private hospital for 2 years after graduation.

Natalie just completed new employee orientation. Last week she had her first meeting with the chief nursing officer who addressed department goals. During the meeting, Natalie became aware of several concerns n the department. Historically, the department had run smoothly and efficiently and was one of the premier departments within the organization. /during the past 6 months, some of the nurses began requesting transfers to other departments, and some left to seek employment outside the organization. The chief nursing officer is concerned and would like Natalie to make this her first priority as the new department head.

In Natalie’s first department manager meeting, the unit nurse managers voiced concerns about the increase in the number of nursing students on the floor at one time and nursing instructors sitting in the break room while relying on floor nurses to guide the students’ clinical experience. Additionally, some nurses are refusing to take students or are calling in sick when students are expected on the floor, resulting in short staffing and incivility among staff members.

The department has 152 full-and part-time employees, consisting of 88 RN’s adn 24 nursing assistants. Each unit has a staffing mix of 22 RN’s, 10 LPNs and 6 nursing assistants. In the past, the staff has worked well together. The recent increase in turnover has resulted in additional stress among the staff, creating a negative and distrusting culture. The unit nurse managers said that because many seasoned nurses and are leaving and new nurses are coming on board, the staff feels overburdened with training new nurses and dealing with nursing students. In addition, the staff feels like the patients may not be getting the proper care.

Questions:

1. How should Natalie address the nurse managers’ concerns?