Nurse Leader_Anabel Leon

2667000-571500Part 1: The Pre-InterviewYour Name: Anabel Leon Today’s Date: 2/9/19Date of Interview:2/24/19 Names of other students who interviewed &/or observed with you, if applicable.** (Note: Each student must develop and submit their own report and list of interview questions.)RN nurse leaders name, title, facility and contact information: Angela Meckler, BSN RN Lead NurseEvolve Treatment Center6425 Chesebro Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301(323)770-3329Nurse leader credentials, education and past work experience: Bachelors of Science in Nursing, West Coast University PHNCPI Certified License Vocational Nurse- Concorde Career College Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families- Camarillo CALVN positionList six interview questions you will ask of your nurse leader. 1. What made you decide to take the next step in becoming a nurse leader?2. How do you encourage a safe working environment as a nurse leader?3. What are some daily challenges you experience as a nurse leader?4. What are some problem solving skills you have learned throughout the years with; employee conflicts and scheduling?5. What do you enjoy most about your job?6. What advice would you give to future nurses?27197056731000Part 2: Interview and ObserveInterview Responses: List the nurse leader’s responses to your questions here: 1. “I sort of fell into it. I was opened to opportunities on the unit, and I had some suggestions to improve work flow. At the time, my manager said those are some good ideas, let’s have you start with doing the schedule. After being successful in that job, the manager decided to make me the lead nurse.”2. “Myself and a committee implemented environmental safety rounds. We also developed a mentoring program which allows experienced nurses help the younger nurses to learn safe techniques while doing procedures and monitoring equipment. All employees are also CPI certified to ensure their safety in the unit. I encourage them to ask questions, this helps keep a safe environment.”3. Balancing the work-life balancing needs of the nursing staff while maintaining staffing requirements to safely staff the unit.” 4. “There are usually scheduling conflicts during the holiday seasons. I remain fair, consistent, yet strong because some employees try to manipulate their schedules to work or pull tricks to work below their requirements. I also found myself be deescalating conflicts between LVN, RN, therapist, and counselors. This can be difficult handling but I found that best way to handle these conflicts is to have them communicate their problems during our morning meetings. During these meetings we discuss each patient in the treatment center, their current status, treatment, and potential solutions to conflicts.”5. “Bedside patient care with the adolescents and their family. Caring for adolescents who are struggling with substance use or a mental illness can be difficult but it is very rewarding at the end. I have seen these teens grow and mature from the beginning of the end, and that is the best feeling knowing I helped someone better their life.”6. “Ask a lot of questions if you’re unsure. It helps to keep an open mind when some of the older nurses offer suggestions. Things are always changing in nursing and it helps to be very flexible.”Describe the leadership style of the nurse. Describe observed leadership behaviors. I observed that she is fair and consistent. She was positive and some of her nurses remarked that she does not play favorites. I would consider her leadership style as democratic.Correlate the leadership style with the related theory from the Marquis and Huston text. Include a citation with page number. She allows the nurses under her to grow and ask questions while giving constructive criticism when needed. Democratic leadership “promotes autonomy and growth” (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 40). These are some of the traits I observed during her interaction with her team.What is the nurse leader’s communication style? Describe observed behaviors. She has a professional and clear communication style. She was noted as being clear and concise when it came to delegating tasks to LVN’s and other personal, to avoid confusion.Correlate the communication style with the related theory from the Marquis and Huston text. Include a citation with page number.With her democratic leadership, I noticed her communication flows up and down which is effective when working with her groups for a long period of time (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 415). I observed her using different modes of communication, from face-to-face, to written communication via text. She evaluates what type of mode would be the best way to communicate so the message does not get distorted or interpreted wrong (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 493).How does the nurse leader manage conflict? Describe the behaviors observed (if there was no observed conflict, ask the nurse leader how they approach conflict). She intervenes in an appropriate manner when nonprofessional behavior is observed, an example would be when a nurse is using a cell phone when parents of patients are asking questions or need help. Other examples include discouraging others from engaging in negative behaviors like gossiping and intimidation. Correlate the conflict management style with the related theory from the Marquis and Huston text. Include a citation with page number.The correlation I noted was she is good with interpersonal conflict. This conflict happens “between two or more people with differing values, goals and beliefs are closely linked bullying, incivility, and mobbing” (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 556). She is aware of bullying in the nurse field and highly discourages it. She tries to be a role model and ensures she helps anyone that needs it amongst the younger nurses. Her method utilizes compromising and collaboration methods. With compromising, the individuals in interpersonal conflict must either give up something or agree on a new idea or way (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 557). Collaborating works by individuals setting aside individual goals and working together to accomplish a common goal (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p.560).What has the nurse leader experienced as Priority Quality Improvement or Change Project? What has been their involvement? During the time she became a lead nurse, there was a high frequency of patients trying to elope or eloping from the facility. Along with a group of nurses they created an elopement prevention program. This gives the staff a list of behaviors the adolescents might present before they attempt to elope the facility. Since the treatment is a nonphysical facility, this mean the staff is not allowed to touch the patients and prevent them from leaving. The elopement prevention program decreases these instances and deescalate some situations.Correlate the change project with the related theory from the Marquis and Huston text. Include a citation with page number.Besides collaborating to come up with ideas to stay ahead of the curve, she follows the total quality management theory. This theory is a never-ending process, where there is continuous improvement. Essentially, there can always be a better technique, or way to expand upon current trends (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 621).25641306096000Part 3: Analyze, Report and ReflectDirections: Complete the report in full sentences, in narrative format. Use additional pages if necessary. Cite readings and your textbook as applicable.)What competencies are important for this role, as reported by your nurse leader? Summarize their response here in two paragraphs minimum. Relate the competencies to theory or theories presented in your text:Angela acts as a role model and leader to the younger and even older nurses. Two ways she does this is by using good communication skills and making sound decisions when it comes to patient care and her unit. She said she is a believer in both the use of verbal and nonverbal forms of communication, so that the receiver of the message gets a full picture (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 495). She believes that “communication is not a one-way channel”. According to the Essential Nurse Leader (2017), their example of Debbie’s belief is that when “other departments or disciplines will be affected by a message, the leader-manager must consult with those areas for feedback before the communication occurs (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 442). When Angela is in her leadership role, it is important to her that she collaborates with others and ensures they act as a cohesive team to promote patient safety as well as staff safety.During the time I interviewed Angela, she had a few meetings with her department head and charge nurse. She had to collaborate with them to ensure the schedule worked for everyone. One of the main things I noticed is the decisions she had to make, when planning the different shifts. She insured there was a good ratio between experienced nurses and new grads, or fairly new nurses. Her challenges were when RNs would ask for a day off, ensuring their spot was taken by someone of equal experience or more. She had to do this in a timely manner, because the charge nurse and nurse manager do not have a lot of time to in their day due to their work load. It was impressive how efficient and smoothly the process went. It looked seamless to me, but I am sure it is a bit stressful for Angela.Analyze and report on the correlation from the textbook theories. Did the nurse leader practice what was outlined in the text? Why or why not? Supply details/actions/ from your observation that correlate to the theory in the following areas. Leadership StyleCommunication StyleManagement of ConflictQuality improvement and/or change project involvement. This section should be a minimum of 4 paragraphs. Angela for the most part used a democratic style of leadership and occasionally a bit of laissez-faire with the more experienced nurses. I noticed her use of the democratic style when she directed others “through suggestion and guidance” (Marquis & Huston, 2015, p. 40). Her usage of the laissez-faire happened when one of her colleagues would ask her for advice and she would “motivate by support” and let the colleague come up with their own resolution (Marquis & Huston, 2015, p. 41). Angela has experience in working in different departments, her communication technique utilizes the different channels of communication; Upward, Downward, Horizontal, and Diagonal (Marquis & Huston, 2015, p. 443). I mostly noticed horizontal, which is from peer to peer. She is known as one of the go to nurses to ask questions, and many of her peers take advantage of this. She has made herself very approachable, and I believe the other nurses appreciate this.I did not notice that many conflicts during our interviews. The most common conflicts she says she deals with is with the schedule and communication with other intraprofessional workers. She states that there are certain requirements for days and hours that an RN must work or commit too. She understands that life can get in the way, but she is also aware of some RNs trying to get out of their work days, especially during the holidays. She tries to create an environment that promotes subordinate advocacy by listening to staff needs, and using collaborative decision making (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. ). When this fails, she is assertive and makes decisions that are best for the team. Angela dislikes these decisions, but she understands it is part of the job.For quality improvement, Angela has created the elopement prevention program. This program helps both RN’s and other professionals that work in the facility. With this program they are able to monitor and prevent elopement situation. This provided further patient safety, in which I noticed it was Angela’s priority in the unit. This follows the model of total quality management (TQM) which promotes production and quality can always improve (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p. 621).Summarize at least 4 insights gained from your observation (4 paragraphs minimum). Provide a thorough reflection and details that will inform your practice. Answer the question, what did you learn from this assignment? By shadowing Angela at work it helped me view the different dynamics a nurse leader undertakes. This consist of many people working together in a facility, and her having a hand in running their department was impressive. I hope when I get to that level, I will be an efficient leader like her.I think she has garnered the respect from the nursing staff with her style of management, democratic, by creating a safe and easy environment to be around. She treated everyone with respect and I believe helped build a positive team spirit. With a strong team, more tasks are completed in a timely manner rather than individuals working alone.I feel with her leadership style; more work gets done. I feel the nurses are more motivated to work under someone who is understanding, knows their job, and yet can be firm when needed to. This helps garner a healthy working climate that also leads to safety for patients and staff alike. I know in my previous jobs, if I had a good leader and manager, I would do my best to support them.Her communication was key to her ensuring everyone knew what to do and how to get it done. Being there for over thirty years, she speaks their “language.” Nurses have their own culture and use medical terms to communicate intricate information, but in a condensed form. This is called standardized nursing language which provides consistent terminology. That is one of the hardest parts about nursing school, learning medical terms and common terminology in a hospital setting. I hope after spending time on the floor, I will be able to communicate just as well as Angela. 0000You must reference your text and corresponding page numbers. Use the citation below to help: Marquis, B. L. & Huston, C. J. (2017). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.