NUR 3110 Discussion forum 4

Consider the following case study on Leadership:

You just recently passed your NCLEX-RN licensure exam and obtained your first registered nurse staff position on a sub-acute cardio-thoracic floor.  Your position is part of a six (6) month new graduate nurse residency program where you are provided with specialized training intended for novice nurses without previous experience working as an RN.  As your residency progresses, you are noticing that one of the doctors (PGY 2 – second year physician resident) is extremely unprofessional with most of the nurses on the floor and has rather aggressive assessment skills of the patients.  One such assessment actually led to a patient falling off of the bed related to being pushed during an assessment by the PGY 2.  You and several of your nursing coworkers report the doctor to your nursing manager for unsafe care and unprofessional behaviors.  Several days later, your nursing manager asks to speak with you privately in her office.  You are then reprimanded for “reporting a false claim about an esteemed physician” and put on warning.

Discuss the following questions:

• What would be your next plan of action since your nursing manager was unwilling to acknowledge your complaints/concerns regarding the doctor?
• Can you think of any situations when you would stay quiet when you saw a superior (charge nurse, doctor, nursing supervisor, nursing manager, etc.) providing unsafe care?
• Have you ever had a situation similar to this case study where you witnessed unsafe practice and leadership was not willing to acknowledge what occurred/was occurring? What happened? If you reported the incident – to whom and what happened as a result of the report?
• According to your textbook (on pg. 467-468 in 8th edition; 454-455 in 9th edition), what level of power is the nursing manager displaying?