Module 2 Discussion: Two Frogs

One day two frogs were playing together, hopping over each other on a park bench. Suddenly, as they neared the edge of the bench they both fell off and into a pail of milk, which was on the ground. The pail was only filled halfway so the two frogs had a difficult time trying to get out. Eventually their commotion and cries for help drew a crowd of other frogs who gathered at the edge of the bench. When the crowd saw how hopeless their situation was, they began to jump up and down, swinging their legs and yelling, “Give up! Give up! You will never make it out! It’s hopeless!” When one of the frogs in the pail saw them and heard what they were saying, he knew they were right. He didn’t see the point of trying any longer, so he laid back and slowly disappeared into the pail of milk and drowned. The other frog looked up and saw the crowd jumping up and down and yelling and this made him more determined to get out. So he started to swim around and around, faster and faster. Eventually his churning around made the milk begin to harden. He was able to get a foothold and jump out of the pail of milk and save his life.
a. What is the moral of this story?
b. As a manager, how important is positive attitude and morale?
c. How can you promote positivism in your department?

d. How does staff morale affect patient quality of care/outcomes? Provide one reference for your answer.

Module 2 Assignment: Tools for Effective Leaders and Managers

• Due Apr 24 by 11:59pm

1. (2.5 Points or .5 each) You are the clinical nurse manager on a 20 bed orthopedic unit in an organization that uses Press Ganey to measure patient satisfaction. The scores have been abysmal on your unit (12th percentile) and throughout the hospital, except for one oncology unit. The oncology unit score is at the 98th percentile. Your director has made it clear that your unit’s scores are not acceptable and that you are responsible for correcting the issues. Clearly some changes need to be made in order to improve the scores, and as the unit manager, you will need to make critical decisions on how to accomplish the needed changes. Finkelman discusses decision making on pages 79-92.

a. Using the decision making process on page 81, Figure 3-3 develop your plan of action.
b. You determine you will need help from others on the unit. How, what, and to whom will you delegate. Discuss authority and responsibility in your answer. Discuss how formal and informal groups can impact the process. Include at least one reference in your answer.
c. How will you motivate the staff? Include at least one reference in your answer.
d. How will you initiate and implement the needed changes. Include at least one reference in you answer.
e. How will the change process and outcome be evaluated?

2. (Points 1.5 or .5 each) Read: Bruhn & Chesney, (1995), “Organizational Moles” and answer the following:

a. What are examples of possible positive outcomes that could occur in an organization due to rumor facilitation? List at least three possible benefits/outcomes of rumors.
b. Describe at least three problems that can be created by rumor facilitation by an organizational mole?
c. Weighing the pros and cons of rumors within organizations, what advice would you give leaders who are trying to manage rumors. What are the best strategies to use for rumor control.
Reference: Bruhn, J. G. & Chesney, A. P. (1995). Organizational moles: Information control and the acquisition of power and status. Health Care Supervisor, 14(1), 24-31.

3. (One Point) Kerfoot (2009) offers advice that is critical for nurse leaders at all levels in an organization. Explain what Kerfoot means by the statement, “what you permit, you promote”. Address how the leader can ensure that employees know what is permitted in the unit/department and/or organization at all times. Give a specific example to demonstrate your answer.
Reference: Kerfoot (2009), What you permit, you promote. Nursing Economic$, 27(4), 245-247

4. (1.8 points or .3 each) Based on the information about types of interpersonal power that is discussed in Sullivan, Chapter 8 and Finkelman, Chapter 13, identify the type of power best illustrated by each scenario below? Of the 7 types of powers discussed {(Reward, coercive (punish), legitimate (position), expert, referent, information, and connection)}, you should use each type of power only once below.

a. Charge Nurse Smith gave staff their patient assignments for the day shift. Answer:

b. Nurse Manager Jones gave a reprimand to Nursing Assistant Late due to frequent tardiness issues. Answer:

c. CEO Andrews gave a gift certificate to Nurse Jones for her outstanding work on the Rapid Response Team. Answer:

d. CEO Andrews plays golf with President Boyle several times each summer. Answer:

e. Nurse Brilliant has 20 years of experience. New Graduate BSN asked Nurse Brilliant for advice about how to deal with a patient that was not being cooperative. Answer:

f. All of the staff really like and respect Manager Jones and they work hard because they respect her as a leader. Answer:

5. (1.2 points or .3 each) According to Sullivan, fear of liability may keep nurses from delegating tasks that should be delegated. At the same time some nurses may delegate tasks that should not be delegated. State nurse practice acts outline the legal expectations in relation to delegation. Fill in the blanks below (refer to Sullivan). Specific answers are required based on text definitions.

a. _____________________ is someone who refuses to accept a delegated task.

b. _____________________ occurs when someone with lower rank delegates to someone with more authority.

c. _____________________ occurs when the delegator fails to transfer authority to the delegate to do the assigned task.

d. _____________________ occurs when the delegator gives the delegate too much authority or responsibility , thus placing themselves in a risky legal situation.

6. (1.8 points or .3 each) Based on content from Sullivan, fill in the blanks below with the word that most accurately defines the conflict management method described by the scenario or definition. Specific answers are required based on text definitions.

a. _____________________occurs when neither party gets exactly what he or she wants.

b. Manager Jones kept delaying having a conversation with Nursing Assistant Late about his/her tardiness issues. Manager Jones was using what style of conflict management? _______________

c. Nurse Smith approached Dr. Smart to inform him about the patient’s deteriorating condition. Dr. Smart did not give Nurse Smith the orders she felt she needed to stabilize the patient. Nurse Smith again approached Dr. Smart and communicated her concerns about the patient. Through openly addressing her concerns, Nurse Smith used what Sullivan defines as the “most effective” method of conflict resolution. What method did she use? __________________

d. ____________________ involves solving the problem versus defeating the opponent; the talents of all parties are used in this conflict method.

e. _____________________ should be used in emergency situations when time
for collaborative dialogue does not exist; this method is defined as an all-out
effort to win or have my way.

f. _____________________ is an effective method to use when there are major
differences in opinion, in order to reach an agreement that is acceptable to
both parties (for example, trying to reach an agreement about your salary for a position you have recently been offered, when you want a higher salary than you were offered).

7. (.2 points) A Group vs a Team is discussed in the module 2 assigned voice over power point “Tools for Leadership and Management”. Contrast the differences between a group and a team found on the power point.