DQ # 1 Response to Classmate - Research Paper Example

DQ Response To mate THIS IS WHAT THE OTHER WROTE: Good afternoon and colleagues, In this situation, the Chief Nursing Officer(CNO) made an excellent decision allowing the remaining staff nurses to be included in the selection of the new Nurse Manager, Rita. This showed the staff that this was a unit decision and not an administrative decision, which in turn; let them know their opinion mattered.To a larger extent, I believe that involvement of other team members in a group with regards to decision making is very important.

This makes them develop a sense of belonging to the group since their ideas would be incorporated in their operations. Rita, the remaining staff nurses, and with the help of all employees on the unit can succeed in orienting and retaining the seven new graduates by first welcoming them to the unit. In helping the new employees feel welcome, it is also important to realize that leadership and followership has a synergistic relationship and that “no change can occur without willing and committed followers” (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p. 36). Starting a new job, especially as a new graduate nurse is very stressful.

Fear and lack of confidence can sometimes overwhelm a new graduate and it is extremely important to make them feel welcome. Research suggests that when the “staff is friendly, welcoming, open to the new graduates being there, supportive, and encouraging of their learning” can result in a successful transition from new graduate to nurse (Glynn & Sylva, 2013, p. 177). In real world, it can be seen that through creating quality relationship between leadership and followership, it is possible to orient as well as retain the new nurses.

As stated by Grossman and Valiga (2009), “Leadership and followership are two separate concepts that are complementary or reciprocal, not competitive” (p. 36). People often feel apprehensive when they start a new job but when they are given a warm welcome to the unit, they quickly gain confidence which helps them to acclimatize to the environment. This is so because there would be mutual understanding among the team members which help them to easily fit in the working environment. I have witnessed this at Baptist Hospital where the pre op nurse manager displays quality leadership styles where new nurses are given the opportunity to freely interact with senior nurses in a bid to build confidence in them.

            Offering encouragement and support to the new nurses and allowing them to ask questions, makes them feel comfortable and increases their confidence. It is also important to gain feedback from the new nurses too, in order to make any needed adjustments in their orientation; this in turn lets them know their opinion matters and they are being heard. The new nurses preceptors should also encourage the new nurses to inform them if any issues arise or if they are being treated in a negative or disrespectful manner, and inform the manager so the issue can be resolved.

Research suggests: “The relationship between orientee and preceptor was a key element in the success of a new graduate. Most new graduates credited their preceptors with being a role model and a consistent positive influence during their orientation” (Glynn & Sylva, 2013, p. 177).   Quality relationship between the preceptor and the orientee is very essential in the real world of nursing. Through interaction with other senior nurses, new nurses in this particular case quickly generate knowledge about what would be expected of them.

Mutual understanding is created through this kind of interaction where the new people in the unit can learn from other seasoned nurses. This helps them to learn quickly from the other members of the group.             The culture and or environment of the unit are very important. “Every unit has a culture, and a leader’s role is to help create a positive workplace and monitor that culture. A unit’s behavior is influenced by its culture. The culture of the unit can range from caustic to inspiring” (Hawkins & Kratsch, 2004, p. 215).  The leaders of the unit must work together with the remaining staff and the new nurses in order to be successful.

“As a duality relationship, leaders must understand that people seek, admire, respect, and follow those who let them know they are important and significant” (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p. 36). Rita and the remaining staff can help the new nurses feel valued and appreciated by acknowledging a job well done, such as mastering a specific skill or task and praising the new nurses for their achievement.  I strongly support this view that culture and environment in the unit are very important. According to Hawkins & Kratsch (2004), each unit has a culture that shapes the behaviour of the people working there.

It is therefore the role of the leader to foster this culture in order to positively influence the other members to improve their performance. If a person knows that he or she is treated as important in the unit, she feels motivated and inspired to put optimum effort in his or her performance. In my work as a nurse, I am motivated by the quality treatment I am given by the leaders in the department. I also believe that culture in the unit helps to improve the skills and knowledge of all team members which is good for the unit as a whole.

                           Rita and the remaining staff must also remember that there are all different types of personalities, which will create different types of followers. Leadership and staff must be dependable, available, and reliable when orienting the new nurses. According to Walters, “the secret of leadership is . . . never to ask of others what you would not willingly do yourself” (as cited by Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p. 40). A new nurse may start out as a “newbie” because of lack of experience and confidence, but with the right leadership, they have the ability to become an “effective and exemplary follower” (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p. 41).As aptly stated by Grossman & Valiga (2009), effective leaders should be exemplary.

I strongly believe that effective leaders should possess certain traits that appeal to the interests of their followers such that they can also treat them as role models. Followers in the unit should follow the good example displayed by the leaders in their operations. This helps the new people in the department to learn quickly and to gain knowledge about their expectations in the unit. By implementing all of the above initiatives, and with continued support, and encouragement; together this will create a positive working environment, empower the employees and the new nurses.

This in turn will create a successful orientation and maintain retention.I support the argument above since the ideas suggested are very effective in maintaining and retaining the employees to continue working in the unit. In the field of nursing, it is important to boost the morale of the new members so that they can develop a sense of belonging to the unit they are attached to. ReferencesGlynn, P., & Silva, S. (2013). Meeting the Needs of New Graduates in the Emergency Department: A Qualitative Study Evaluating a New Graduate Internship Program.

 JEN: Journal Of Emergency Nursing, 39(2), 173-178. doi:10.1016/j.jen.2011.10.007Grossman, S.C., & Valiga, T.M. (2009). The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future ofNursing (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA:  F.A. Davis Company.Hawkins, A. & Kratsch, L.S. (2004). Troubled units: Creating change. AACN Clinical Issues, 15(2), pp. 215-221.