Addressing Employee Issues

Order Instructions:

Jada Williams was promoted to the nurse manager for a general medical floor of a large metropolitan hospital. The floor consisted of 32 rooms that handled a daily census of 60 patients. She was responsible for a large staff of 36 RNs and LPNs scheduled across 3 shifts, 4 clerical/administrative staff, and a host of technical and support staff that she did not directly supervise, but who worked on her unit.

After a few weeks at her new job, Jada had taken note of several serious safety hazards and violations on her floor. These hazards and violations included some non-approved disposal of needles and waste, an electrical cord stretched across a hallway, several incidences of spilled liquids in walkways that were not cleaned up promptly, and two observations of staff not using proper safety procedures when drawing blood.

When she called a meeting to discuss safety issues, she was very surprised when two staff members objected to her “telling us how to do a job we have done for years.” Jada was not sure how to deal with some members of her staff that did not respond positively to suggestions to increase safety awareness and practices on the floor. She overheard one of her staff laughingly refer to her as “Ms. Safety.” Another time she heard someone say, “Women get all bossy when they are made managers.” Jada was very concerned her workers were not respectful of what she considered important safety concerns.

What attitude problems, if any, does Jada need to address? As her friend and colleague, what leadership style(s) would you advise Jada to consider to get her staff “on board” with the necessary and required safety procedures. Why?