Risk Management

For the last unit of the course, this was a good one to bring some things together.  I always knew that part of the nurse manager’s job was putting out fires and dealing with problems, but I don’t think I really ever would have thought to call it risk management, but that is exactly what it is and what things escalate to require when not managed at a smaller level.  It was good to learn more about the risk management process and to look at ways to manage the problems that persist.  I have also come to realize the importance the risk management plays in health care, and how much it encompasses. 

I really liked the discussion and the lecture from the risk management person for the south region at IHC.  She helped to put some things into perspective.  She helped explain things in a way that helped risk management make more sense.  The discussion also helped to really make me think about how things happen and the ramifications of our actions.  The scenario is something that I have had to deal with, in the fact that I’ve had very combative patients that needed to be restrained, and I have had similar thoughts to the nurse in the scenario, I’m just glad that nothing happened, but it makes me think about the problems that can arise. 

This information, as I stated above, will have a number of uses in my career, whether I get into management or not.  This is definitely helpful for charge nurses, but also for the staff nurse, and thinking about the actions that we have.  As we are in health care, we will always be scrutinized and looked at through a magnifying glass.  We need to make sure to protect our licenses, as that is our livelihood. 

Motivation and Collective Bargaining

This was an interesting unit, as I don't think that I really knew how collective bargaining agreements worked, aside from the fact that it was between an employer and a union, which I learned from being a sports fan.  The thing that I liked the most was learning more about the unions and the pros and cons associated with it.  The employment laws will vary from place to place, but this is a good base to build upon or refer back to.  Motivating is important when it comes to the nurse leader’s employees.  The best ways to maximize motivation through leadership methods.  Also, I would have never known that a formal reward system would have to be taxed, but it does make sense and it is worth it from a leadership and employee standpoint. 

I really enjoyed the activities and discussions.  They helped to put the collective bargaining assignment into perspective of seeing the different sides (employees and employers). Also, the discussions were great to see the different perspectives that people can take on an assignment.  I am a big self motivator, so I think I had a hard time coming up with things that will help motivate others, but it was good to see how the girls in the group would motivate others, especially since most nurses are still women. 

I will use this moving forward in my career.  It will impact whether or not I work for a facility that has unionized employees.  As of right now, I don't think that I would want to be a part of one.  There are definitely a number of pros, but I mostly want to be able to stand up for myself and my own merits and I feel I will do much better for myself.  Also, I like trying to motivate my fellow employees to work harder to see how it would work. 

Each and every individual person has the right to feel however they want to feel, but we can definitely make a difference in the environment that surrounds us.  It is the responsibility of the nurse leader to establish a work climate that motivates others to accomplish organizational goals while addressing individual employee needs.  Hopefully all the employees will take it upon themselves to motivate each other and make the place of employment a better place to be.  I know I will. 

Conflict Resolution

I learned that there are multiple ways to handle conflict.  We all have a default way that we handle conflict which may be completely different from our neighbor or co-workers way to handle conflict.  We need to find what works for that individual.  I learned that conflict isn't always a bad thing.  Many times when we have a conflict in one part of our life it can spill over into other parts of our lives. 

                I really liked the activities associated with this section.  The discussion was a great forum to be able to express our different opinions about conflict and certain types of communication that are involved with conflict.  It was a great way to see how differently people view and perceive conflict and to help remember that this is the way it will be in the workplace.  I also liked the movie “The Guardian.”  It was a wonderful depiction of conflict and the ways that different people can view and deal with conflict and think that others don’t understand what they are going through. 

                I will utilize the information I learned by making sure I use effective communication techniques when I'm involved in a conflict with a coworker or someone at work.  I need to realize what battles are worth fighting for.  I need to make sure that I stick up for myself and not let people walk over me.  And I will be able to know that while we might all be working toward a common goal, many people will have different approaches to getting there. 

                As much as we would rather just think positively and believe that everything will just work out, it is necessary to know that conflict is everywhere around us.  Perception is a big part of conflict and being willing to work with other is important.  I have learned techniques that will be able to help me deal with conflict in the future.  

Strategic Planning

I expected to learn what strategic planning is and feel that I have a better grasp now.  I actually learned that there is a lot more to strategic planning than I thought. I learned that strategic planning has been used in multiple professions. Strategic planning has multiple elements that need to be considered.

I enjoyed the strategic planning activity as a team and helped me to understand what it takes to make a strategic plan.  The plan was more difficult that I originally thought and we had unlimited resources, so I can only imagine what it takes when there are limited resources.  It was also interesting to see the different perspectives that people have and the ways that people approach a strategic plan.  I also liked the discussion and the different views that people had on the types of classes and programs that should be offered. 

I will utilize the information I learned into my nursing practice by looking for strategic planning committees. I will look more into the graduate schools offered in the state. I will be most respectful and interested when changing is coming and how I can be involved in the planning.

Overall, I feel that this was an interesting topic. I had never really considered it before. I feel that there are so many elements and behind the scenes committees that make healthcare work.  It was cool learning about strategic planning.