NSG 445 Interview

• What formal processes are available to teach skills necessary for your role as a leader?

As a clinical resource leader, we were given training by terms of leadership classes. We attended classes about conflict management and resolution, how to operate scheduling systems, how to be a leader, communications, moving from staff to leadership (which was extremely helpful being that I was a staff nurse prior to becoming a nurse leader on the same floor), modeling high performance and leading change. All of these classes provided techniques and opportunities to ask questions and address some of the challenges that leadership may entail.

• What resources are available to support you in your role as a leader?

Resources have been scarce at times for my role as a leader due to the fact there has been lots of changes in leadership and management since I have become a nurse leader. However, now I have other nurse leaders that I can rely on and a new nurse manager who offers support if I need it.

• What opportunities for professional development and advancement are available?

We have the option to become part of other committees and do projects to advance our nursing. I have not personally taken advantage of any of these yet as I just completed my masters and was focused on that. However, it is something I have thought about for the future.

• What barriers or challenges to being a leader have you faced?

I think one of the biggest challenges I have noticed is the work life balance. I am very open and I think very easy to talk to, which sometimes can cause staff to take advantage of me at times. For example, weekends, or days off, I will get phone calls and texts regarding their schedules, things they aren’t happy with and whatnot which is technically not my responsibility as we don’t have 24/7 accountability. I find it hard to say no at times, and will typically fix problems when I am not there which I know is my fault, but it leads me to become frustrated when I’m not even working.

• What resources and opportunities outside the workplace have supported your professional growth?

I think getting a master’s degree helped me. While my degree was in nursing education, it offered a lot of classes and support with how to help teach and relate to students or new orientees. The clinical resource leader role I am in is a fine line between nursing leadership/management, as well as education, and I feel more comfortable in my role being given that opportunity.

• How do you manage conflict?

Managing conflict is definitely a challenging part of the job. I try to hear both sides of a story, and then sit down with both individuals separately and then together to have them talk it out. I am VERY big on accountability. Nursing and healthcare in general are generally made up of adults, and I try to encourage individuals to have courageous conversations and talk it out themselves. I don’t want to take sides or have individuals feel a certain way about a situation, so to me, it is easier and better to encourage individuals to work it out themselves with me as a mediator.

• How have you dealt with ethical issues?

Ethical issues are obviously significant and concerning issues to be addressed, but need to be addressed. I think too many people try to slip them under the surface because they can typically be uncomfortable situations. But ethical issues are typically ones I attempt to deal with at the surface and in the moment. Talking through situations and then knowing when to get social work and management and patient advocacy involved has always been an important realization to me.

• How do you maintain work/life balance?

This past year has made a work/life balance challenging because of the constant reminders of work due to the pandemic. As I mentioned earlier this has been one of the most challenging things for me. I have begun to try not to reply to any work emails or texts/calls until I am physically back at work unless it is something that needs urgent attention. This includes sometimes not even opening emails until I am back at work. The schedule of a nurse can obviously be challenging at times to see friends and family, so I make sure that when I do, I am completely present and in the now with them.

• When working on N5 how do you balance between working/leading with the floor and working to help the rest of the hospital?

Well, that is always a problem for me. I am someone that likes to spread myself too thin. I have tried to make our floor the priority as that is the job I was hired for. But, I have been very lucky that the staff on N5 is very independent and solid in their skills, techniques, and even problem solving. When I have free time and opportunities once I have completed my tasks, I go and round on other units. I have to draw a line and create boundaries with other floors at times because they sometimes need assistance when I physically cannot be of help to them, but I do my best to know that I am there as support. I want staff to feel comfortable asking me for help, so I create boundaries and hope to stay within them.

• What are the greatest challenges presented when the unit is short staffed?

I think some of the greatest challenges in short staffing is keeping everyone motivated. It’s so easy to get flustered and upset and feeling like you aren’t doing enough for your patients when you have 6. My goal is to help the assignments that seem the most task oriented and med heavy to allow the nurses to get documentation done or allow them the opportunity to be with the sick patients that need a little bit more attention than a 6 patient assignment allows. I just want to be able to offer even just a little support so they feel as though management/leadership has their back, even if it is at a level that my job provides. Helping to provide safe and genuine care is extremely important. For staff and patients. The last thing I want, is for my staff to feel as though their license is on the license just by showing up to work.