Introduction
As a nurse administrator, one has the duty to make ethical decisions regardless of the circumstances. The completion of the Ethics Games case studies and DiSC® changed the way I view my professional role as a nurse administrator. Through the process, it was evident that as the administrator, one does not have to abide by the standards if the situation demands otherwise. Ganz, Wagner and Toren (2015) maintain that the nursing manager should lead other staff in promotion of quality health services. The leader should be ready to bend rules for the sake of the organization, patients, and nurses. The manager should invoke creativity and challenge old philosophy and ideas. The Ethics Game brought out the numerous ethical dilemmas that the nurse administrators come across. From the Ethics Game, it was evident that the nurse administrator always has to behave in a manner that promotes a healthy practice environment. Entertaining evils within the nursing milieu can have adverse impacts on the working environment. This article will discuss the behaviors of the nurse administrator that can promote or spoil a good practice environment.
Behaviors that Provide a Good Practice Environment
The nurse administrators have the duty to engage in behaviors that support a healthy practice environment. Ganz et al. (2015) identify moral courage as one of the behaviors that support a healthy practice environment. According to Ganz et al. (2015), nurse administrators that exhibit moral courage are knowledgeable, visible, and trustworthy. Managers should take action in morally difficult circumstances as a way to promote a safe working environment. Squires and Juarez (2012) argue that it is the responsibility of the nurse administrator to handle moral distresses at the workplace. Moreover, the administrators have the mandate to formulate moral structures for leadership practices and assist nurses to nurture an ethical culture that encourages inter-professionalism. Promoting shared governance is another behavior that promotes a healthy practice environment. Squires and Juarez (2012) define shared governance as “an organizational innovation that legitimizes nurses’ control over practice, extending their influence into administrative areas previously controlled only by managers” (p. 795). According to Ganz et al. (2015), it is the duty of the nurse administrators to engender shared governance within the hospital setting. Shared governance encourages nurses to take responsibility for their actions. Moreover, it results in a motivated nursing staff and helps in employee retention.
A good nurse administrator promotes structural empowerment. The manager ensures that nurses have access to adequate and timely information. Besides, the manager helps nurse in decision-making processes and ensures that they get all the requisite resources. Structural empowerment guarantees that nurses have an opportunity for professional growth (Ganz et al., 2015). Additionally, it ensures that nurse administrators promote a healthy working environment by offering supportive leadership to the nurse.
Behaviors that do not provide a Good Practice Environment
Abusive behavior is one conduct that does not provide a safe practice environment. In some instances, nurse administrators use their powers to disrespect or maltreat the nurses. Unfortunately, the applicable laws protect nurses against gender, race, and ethnic discrimination. Failure to have laws that protect nurses against all sorts of mistreatments renders them vulnerable to exploitation by the administrators (Squires & Juarez, 2012). The affected nurses are reluctant to perform duties. Dishonesty is another behavior that adversely affects the working environment. Some nurse administrators use their powers to defraud hospitals. They steal drugs from the hospitals and sell them for personal gains. Others blame nurses for all the mistakes that arise in their departments. They do not take responsibility for their actions as the administrators. Squires and Juarez (2012) claim that dishonesty among the administrators discourages nurses to make autonomous decisions that might help to boost health care. In other words, dishonesty kills creativity among the nurses.
Acceptable Behaviors
One practice that can be incorporated in personal leadership is encouraging moral courage. Moral courage enables leaders not only to be successful but also adapt to changing working environment. It gives leaders the courage to confront situations that are hard to ascertain their final results (Marlene, 2012). As a leader, one is supposed to act in the interest of the employees and the organization. Thus, moral courage serves as a guideline to leaders. The manager ensures that they engage in activities that are morally right regardless of the consequences. Another behavior that one ought to incorporate in the leadership style is integrity. Integrity ensures that leaders establish a healthy working environment. The leaders do not use their power to mistreat employees. Instead, they promote teamwork, which results in the accomplishment of organizational goals.
Handling Harassment
Employee harassment is prevalent in the hospital environment. Before punishing the perpetrator of harassment, it is imperative to conduct a thorough investigation. Once the nurse administrator has adequate evidence, they can use varied methods to censure the offender based on the nature of harassment. Interdicting the perpetrator can help to prevent future cases of harassment (Thomas et al., 2013). On the other hand, the administrator can terminate the accused if the harassment involved aggressive behavior such as stalking or rape.
Handling Bullying
Workplace bullying entails “repetitive abuse in which the victim suffers from verbal abuse, threats, and humiliating or intimidating behaviors” (Thomas et al., 2013, p. 389). The nurse administrator can confront bullying by first talking to the architect. Letting the offenders know that their actions amount to bullying may help to stop the vice. If the offender does not stop, the administrator may suspend them. For severe cases, the manager may expel the bully.
Handling Hearsay and Gossip
According to Wolf (2012), gossip and hearsay at workplaces may serve as precursors of a bigger problem. Therefore, it is imperative to analyze them before they are downplayed. Gossip and hearsay are likely to emerge if the workers feel inefficiently informed. Therefore, the best way to deal with scandals and hearsay is to guarantee effective communication within the organization. The nurse administrators can handle gossip and hearsay by holding regular meetings to update the nurses on what is happening. If there is a gossip or hearsay that is going around in the institution, the administrator needs to conduct a speedy investigation and call for a meeting to arrest the situation (Wolf, 2012). Letting the nurses know that the manager is aware of the ongoing gossip can discourage the peddlers from perpetuating the hearsay. Additionally, the administrator can counter the gossip by presenting facts that counter the claims of the hearsay or gossip.
Conclusion
The behaviors of the nurse leader may help to establish a healthy working environment. Additionally, they may damage the working environment. The managers that exercise moral courage and uphold high levels of integrity promote a healthy working environment. Conversely, the nurse leaders who are dishonest and abusive do not nurture a healthy practice environment. Lifelong learning can help the nurse manager acquire skills to deal with harassment, bullying, gossip and hearsay. The manager can gain knowledge of how to exploit hearsay and gossips for the benefit of the organization. Some hearsays or gossips are indicators of a bigger problem. Thus, the nurse administrator may utilize them to mitigate the problem before it occurs.
References
Ganz, F., Wagner, N., & Toren, O. (2015). Nurse middle manager ethical dilemmas and moral distress. Nursing Ethics, 22(1), 43-51.
Marlene, C. (2012). Maintaining workplace civility by sharing the vow of personal responsibility. The Journal of Medical Practice Management, 28(1), 51-53.
Squires, A., & Juarez, A. (2012). A qualitative study of the work environment of Mexican nurses. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49(7), 793-802.
Thomas, H., Gardner, D., O’Driscoll, M., Catley, B., Bentley, T., & Trenberth, L. (2013). Neutralizing workplace bullying: The buffering effects of contextual factors. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 28(4), 384-407.
Wolf, Z. (2012). Nursing practice breakdowns: Good and bad nursing. Medsurg Nursing, 21(1), 16-36.