Running head: ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

Analysis of a Nursing Manager

Jaya Lingam and Cheryl Hamilton
Ferris State University

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

Analysis of a Nursing Manager

Leadership is integral in the nursing community and is a quality that many
nurses possess. Effective nurse leaders approach decision making and action setting by
communicating direction, using principles to guide the process, and projecting an air of selfassuredness (Yoder-Wise, 2014, p.5). Bonnie Havlicek, the Division Director of
Community Health and Education, was interviewed in order to analyze the importance and
effectiveness of leadership in nursing. Mrs. Havlicek graduated from the University of
Michigan with a Bachelor Degree in Science of Nursing and is currently working on her
Masters in Public Health through American Public University (B. Havlicek, personal
communication, 2014).
Analysis of a Nursing Manager
Job Duties
As the Division Director of Community Health and Education, Mrs. Havlicek performs a
myriad of duties to ensure quality and efficacy within in the health department. As a manager,
her duties are based on tasks that need to be completed for the day, month, and annual.

As a

leader, her duty is to motivate her employees and peers as well as creating vision within
community health (B. Havliek personal communication, 2014). On the organizational chart,
Mrs. Havlicek falls towards the bottom. She is above three supervisors and their subsequent
registered nurses.
Some of the duties that Mrs. Havlicek is responsible for completing are providing support
and advice to nursing supervisors, planning and implementing change for the future in the
community health setting and helping clients get set up for services that they may need. As the
Director of Health and Education, Mrs. Havlicek does not generally interact with clients and

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

relies on her staff to approach her with any client issues or concerns. She also analysis the client
satisfaction surveys to gain knowledge on areas for improvement and growth. The only time
Mrs. Havelicek interacts with clients is when there is a problem that a supervisor cannot solve.
Mrs. Havlicek is also the face of the health department within the community. She sits
in on a variety of committees and brings the health care/health department perspective to the
meetings. Two of the committees she serves on are suicide prevention and promoting breastfeeding in the workplace.
Collaboration
Collaboration is essential in providing holistic and quality care to clients within the
community health setting. Within community health, willingness and readiness to work on a
collegial basis with community members from all walks of life and with other professionals from
a wide range of fields will help to identify the needs of the community (Harkness & DeMarco,
2012, p. 149). Mrs. Havlicek collaborates with the registered nurses that work for the health
department, supervisors, the quality improvement coordinator, the Director of Environmental
Health, the Administrative Director, and the schools within the community. Collaboration with
all these departments is essential in improving health among the community.
There are multiple communication avenues that Mrs. Havlicek uses to collaborate with
various team members. It is not always possible to have face-to-face communication with
everyone. Other avenues used for communication are video conferencing, email, conference
calls, staff meetings that take place the first Friday of every month, and the quarterly division
meetings. Mrs. Havlicek prefers face-to-face communication because it creates a more
meaningful interaction between the people involved. Nurse manager must be able to
communicate effectively because communication in the work environment is not only important

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

to good working conditions that retain nurses but also is critical to reduction of medical errors
(Yoder-Wise, 2014, p. 349).
Legal and Ethical Issues
When working in the community health setting, it is important for the nurse manager to
have a heightened awareness of the interaction of legal and ethical principles (Yoder-Wise,
2014, p.71). When there is an ethical or legal issue that the health department or staff member is
facing, it is important to get all the facts about what right or law was broken and the events that
led to the offense. Mrs. Havlicek explained that when there is a legal issue, it is important to
collaborate with peers, her boss, and the co-division director to understand the sequence of
events leading to the issue and what is the best way to handle the situation (Personal Interview,
2014).
An example of an ethical/legal issue that occurred at the health department was when a
patient filed a complaint that a staff member released confidential client information. It is
important to understand that the legal and ethical rationalization for confidentiality is that the
healthcare professional will protect the information that is divulged to them by patients or to
which they have access as a result of their position and will not pass this information on
without the patients permission (Cornock, 2011, p. 18). It is important to understand the
implications of breaching ethical and legal rights on patients and an organization. If a patient
cannot be assured that their rights will be met and respected, they will no longer come to the
health department, which can cause the patient to not seek help for care needed. If the
organization cannot assure ethical and legal rights being met, then clients will no longer seek
services from the organization. Nurse Managers are charged with maintaining a standard of

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

safe and competent nursing care within the institution and must be knowledgeable about ethical
and legal principles in order to maintain a healthy organization (Yoder-Wise, 2014, p. 76).
Power and Influence
It is important for nurse managers to use their power and influence in a way that helps
foster change within the nursing community and helps to improve quality of patient care.
Havlicek explained that most nurses do not understand the amount of power they truly have
(Personal Interview, 2014). Based on structural theory, managers who create equal opportunity
by sharing information, resources, and support their employees, will increase their own power
and empower staff members (Udod, 2012, p. 30). Havlicek uses her power to help influence
changes in policy in order to improve community health in Montcalm County. By serving on
different committees, she is able to advocate for change and use her influence to ensure that the
change occurs to benefit the health department and community as a whole.
Decision- Making and Problem-Solving
Decision-making should be a purposeful and goal-directed effort that uses a systematic
process to choose among options. Mrs. Havlicek stated if the problem is internal, the staff will
follow the chain-of-command to address the issue and solve the problem (Personal Interview,
2014). If a patient or patients family has a complaint, they are encouraged to let the front line
employees know immediately. Generally, the supervisors will solve any problems or issues the
nurses and clients may be having. If it is a legal problem, it is immediately presented to
Havlicek. Havlicek consults with the attorney and the director of the health department
(Personal interview, 2014). In a research study conducted to assess manager interventions
pertaining to workplace bullying, it was found that communication, collective support, and

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

teamwork are essential to create environments that lead to the delivery of safe, optimum patient
care (Skarbek, 2013
It is important for nurse managers to take the proper steps when problem-solving to
ensure that the situation can be rectified in a manner that is beneficial to all parties involved.
The most common cause for failure to resolve problems is the improper identification of the
problem/issue; therefore problem recognition and identification are considered the most vital
steps (Yoder-Wise, 2014, p. 111). If the nurse manager is unable to solve the problem, then it is
important for them to seek help. A good nurse manage is self-aware of their limitations and
should never attempt to solve a problem on their own if unable to successfully do so. It is
important to understand that all nurses, whether they are managers, leaders, or followers, need
adequate problem-solving and decision-making skills to be effective in their roles (Yoder-Wise,
2014, p. 114).
Management and Conflict Resolution
The role of a nurse leader is to create a practice environment that fosters open
communications and encourages positive working relations among healthcare requires effective
conflict management as a part of a healthy working environment ( Yoder-wise, 2014). Havlicek
explained that, if there is a conflict among staff members, they are encouraged to communicate
and resolved the matter (Personal Interview, 2014). If they are uncomfortable then it is brought
to her attention and she resolves the conflict. Havlicek states that sometimes she refers the issue
to the director. Depending on the problem sometimes Havlicek has to give a written warning or
terminate the employee. If there is a conflict between a patient and the staff, the supervisor will
try to resolve the issue. However, if the supervisor is unable to resolve the conflict then the issue
is brought to Havliceks attention. According to Havlieck the employees are encouraged to be

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open, honest, and use effective communication which promotes a positive work atmosphere
(Personal interview, 2014). Communication is a fundamental element of care at every level of
nursing practice. It is important, therefore, for nurse managers to create environments that
promote and encourage good communication, and help nurses to develop their communication
skills formally and informally (Timmins, 2011, p. 30).
It is important for nurse managers to understand that conflict can arise abruptly and must
understand that they must confront conflict situations directly to be able to manage them
(Timmins, 2011, p. 33). If the conflict is unable to be resolved, then there is a loss of trust which
can lead to troubles within the organization. Employees may find it difficult to work in a setting
where there is so much unresolved conflict and may seek other job opportunities. If a client has
an issue that is not resolved then they will not seek the organizations help and may discredit the
organization to other health care consumers. A nurse manager must always seek to resolve
conflict in a manner that is fair and amicable for both parties.
Conclusion
A nurse manager plays many important roles in the different health care settings they
work in. It is important for nurse managers to possess skills and qualities that will further
enhance the nursing community. It is also important for managers to be advocates for their
community and peers and help to foster positive changes in the health care system. Mrs.
Havelicek exhibits many qualities that make her a successful manager. Her hard work and
dedication as the Division Director of Community Health and Education, allows her to use her
managerial skills to help create a healthier community for all.

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER

References
Cornock, M. (2011). Confidentiality: The legal issues. Nursing Children and Young People,
23(7), 18-19.
Harkness, G., & DeMarco, R. (2012). Community and public health nursing. (p. 149).
Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Skarbek, A. (2013). A Phenomenological Study of Nurse Manager Interventions Related to
Workplace Bullying (Doctoral dissertation).
Timmins, F. (2011). Managers' duty to maintain good workplace communications skills: the
delivery of safe care requires good nurse-patient relationships, in an environment in
which staff feel free to speak out and put forward ideas, Fiona Timmins describes how
managers can achieve such practice. Nursing Management [Harrow], 18(3), 30+.
Udod, S. (2012). Process of seeking connectivity: Social relations of power between staff nurses
and nurse managers. Nursing Leadership, 25(4), 30.
Yoder-Wise, P. (2014). Leading and managing in nursing. (5 ed., p. 5-349). St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier Inc.

ANALYSIS OF A NURSING MANAGER