MANAGING Personal and Personnel Problems Flashcards
Personal/Personnel Problems
- Absenteeism
- Uncooperative or unproductive
- Immature behavior
- Clinical incompetence
- Emotional problems
- Substance Abuse
- Incivility
what is absenteeism
Linked to role stress and role strain. May lead to:
* Staff conflicts
* Decreased morale
* Increased absences among staff
* Patient safety issues
role stress vs role strain
role stress: absence from work is a way of withdrawing from an undesirable situation short of actually leaving
Role strain: May be reflected by
- reduced involvement with colleagues and the organization
-decreased commitment to the mission and the team
-job satisfaction
Uncooperative or Unproductive Employees
Potential influencing factors:
- Motivation
- Ability
- Education
- Training
Frequent errors in judgment or techniques are often an indication of lack of knowledge, skill, or critical thinking.
immature employees are identified through
- Defiance
- “Testing” of workplace guidelines
- Passivity or hostility
- Negative judgments of any management decision
clinical competence
The combination of knowledge, skill, attitude, and ability to provide safe and effective care without the need for supervision
clinical incompetence
May surface immediately with a new employee
Co-workers may “cover” for them
emotional problems
The nurse leader must be aware that certain behaviors may be manifestations of emotional problems in employees.
- Poor judgment, increased errors, increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and a negative attitude
substance abuse
If substance abuse is suspected, the manager MUST intervene to ensure patient safety.
Early recognition (Mood swings, an untidy appearance, unusual interest in patients’ pain control, frequent changes in jobs and shifts, increase in absenteeism and tardiness)
Employee must go into treatment
employee assistance program
Nurse manager should not be a therapist.
Consult HR regarding implications for the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Consult/refer to Employee Assistance Program
incivility
Lateral Violence (nurse to nurse)
Disruptive behavior or communication that creates a negative work environment that interferes with quality care and safety
documentation of problems
- A MUST in personnel problems
- Problems will not just disappear
- Identify and correcting problems is task
- DO NOT leave to memory
- Include DATE, TIME, DESCRIPTION of incident and put in file
steps of progressive discipline
- Counsel on problem
- Reprimand, verbal, written, and have sign
- Suspend if problem persist
- Return to work with written stipulations
- Terminate if problem recurs
termination of personal causing personnel problems
The manager must be confident that everything possible has been done to help the employee correct the problem.
The manager must recognize that if employment continues, this employee will have a deleterious effect on overall organizational functioning and nursing care.
The employee must have been made fully aware of the problem performance and of the fact that all of the correct disciplinary steps have been followed.
The nurse manager should check with the human resources and legal departments before proceeding to ensure that termination is justifiable legally and that proper steps have been followed.
nurse manager solving personnel problems
- Managing personal and personnel issues is a challenge
- Process can be time consuming and detail oriented
- All share role in prevention and control of problems in work setting
