Running head: MANAGER VS.

LEADER ANAYLSIS 1








Manager vs. Leader Analysis
Cassaundra Braden
Ferris State University

MANAGER VS. LEADER ANALYSIS 2

Introduction
"Leadership plays a crucial role in the lives of registered nurses and is key in ensuring quality client
outcomes, especially during times of significant upheaval in health care" (Anonson et al., 2013).
According to Harris, Bennett, & Ross, all levels, leadership and innovation in nursing are central to the
development, delivery, and maintenance of high-quality care" (2013). Establishing ethical, good
professional relationships is vital for the discipline of nursing or other healthcare disciplines (Milton,
2014).
Introduction to Shirley Foy
Shirley Foy has been a nurse for 30 years and currently works at Great Lakes Specialty Hospital.
She has experience many fields of nursing including obstetrics and hospice. At Great Lakes Specialty
Hospital she works as a floor nurse as well as occasionally a charge nurse on night shift. She has her
Bachelors in nursing from University of Detroit Mercy.
Description of job duties
As a nurse at Great Lakes Specialty Hospital Shirley cares for the chronically critically ill. Her
patients often require ventilator support or extensive wound therapy. Each nurse cares for five to six
patients directly along with assisting other nurses and managing the nurse aides. When asked to
describe her job duties, Shirley responded I follow doctors orders and corporate those orders into the
patients plan of care as well as monitor and asses patients for changes in status and educate them for
discharge (Foy, 2014). As a charge nurse, Shirley is supervisor over three to six nurses depending on
patient census. A charge nurse oversees patient care while managing the other staff members. During
a code situation or another adverse incident the charge nurse manages the events and facilitates
effective care. With the knowledge and experience that Shirley Foy has she is able to maintain a calm
MANAGER VS. LEADER ANALYSIS 3

atmosphere while providing the patient with the best possible care. She also excels in creating a
teaching environment with any occurrence which allows novice nurses to reflect on the events and gain
knowledge to better care for their patients.
Collaboration
As a floor nurse Shirley Foy supports her team members and assists in decision making and
research that influences patient care. Shirley is the first to suggest looking up any unfamiliar condition,
situation, or medication to further staff knowledge. Shirley discussed collaborating with the doctors as
well as therapist to provide personalized patient care. She believes that each patient requires a unique
plan of care based on their specific condition(s). It takes all members of a team to provide patients with
the best possible care.
Legal/ Ethical issue
Shirley Foys current employer is struggling with a long term low census. This has caused a large
amount of mandating staff members to stay home as well as working with a shorter amount of staff
members to save money. The hospital is two floors and recently management has been staffing only
one nurse on one of the floors and keeping three to six patients on this floor. In this situation the nurse
is the primary care giver and the nurse aids are staffed on the other floor where the majority of the
other patients are located. This has caused a great deal of concern with staff members because it is
their feeling that patients on the floor with only one nurse cannon receive adequate care and it is unsafe
to have only one staff member on a floor. Shirley was the first to look up the policy and legality of this
issue. In her research she found that the hospital does not have a policy and the state of Michigan does
not require more than one staff member on a floor. Regardless, Shirley brought this to the attention of
the management and has advocated for the patients as well as the other staff members to work to get
MANAGER VS. LEADER ANALYSIS 4

this staffing issue changed to provide a safer environment. This issue has yet to be addressed but
Shirley will not settle until she knows her patients and coworkers are in a safe environment.
Use of power and influence
When discussing power, Shirley focuses on her days working charge nurse when she has the
most authority. The states: I would like to believe that I use my power to encourage and teach. I
change my power into empower by sharing knowledge and experience with younger nurses and
professionals (Foy, 2014). This demonstrates a nursing manager who leads instead of only managing
her staff members. Shirley does not solely meet her job description and stop there. She goes above and
beyond on a daily basis and mentors other nurses and care givers by sharing her skills. By encouraging
other staff members to excel she gives her patients a more significant experience with expert care.
Use of decision making or problem solving
Shirley Foy accredits her leadership training to Stephen Coveys Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People. She explains that her daily decision making and problem solving process involves the belief that
one should approach everything with the end result in mind and you will never fail. By beginning with
the end in mind Shirley believes that a health professional will be able to see the big picture no matter
what the occurrence may be.
Management or resolution of conflict
In the acute care setting it is common to have a different view of patient needs than other
members involved. Often the family members of a patient with a poor prognosis are unsure of how
they would like to proceed with the patients care. Shirley is excellent in communicating with patients
family members to assure they are knowledgeable of the situation as a whole so that they may make
the best decisions for their loved one. With her extensive knowledge of the chronically critically ill
MANAGER VS. LEADER ANALYSIS 5

patient and the possible outcomes she is able to be informative while being a support system for the
family. In these situations Shirley is also an outlet for the staff members who are not as sure. She
provides a comforting atmosphere and puts people at ease in some of the most difficult situations.
Analysis
The manager
"There are at least three essentials inherent in leading: commitment to a vision, willingness to
risk, and reverence for others" (Milton, 2014). Shirley is devoted to caring for her patients as well as
caring and respecting her coworkers. Anonson et al. (2013) discusses the five traits of exemplary leaders
as having a passion for nursing and optimism, a moral centre, being able to manage crises, connecting
with their staff, and mentoring and role modelling. Shirley Foy demonstrates each of these qualities to
the fullest. She is a resource of knowledge while managing an event and allowing for a comfortable
teaching environment. These assets make her an exceptional mentor to novice and beginning nurses
and staff members.
Effect on patient care
Harris, Bennett, and Ross (2013) state that effective nurse leaders have a positive effect on
patient outcomes and the quality of patient care and satisfaction. As a nurse the patient is the reason
you come to work each day. Shirley Foy validates this in the care she provides for her patients. She
offers the most compassionate care and advocates for each patient as she would her own family. Her
patients respect her and trust her with their case. With this relationship the best prognosis is favored
and achieved when possible.
Effect on the organization
MANAGER VS. LEADER ANALYSIS 6

With a nurse like Shirley Foy on staff the hospital is empowered with infectious knowledge and
compassion. "Research has established that nursing leadership is a critical factor in the effective
functioning of nursing units high-quality patient care, retention of nurses and organizational
effectiveness" (Anonson et al., 2013). Staff members are bettered by her ability to encourage and
educate and the unit is endowed with a positive outlook.

MANAGER VS. LEADER ANALYSIS 7

References
Anonson, J., M. Walker, E. Arries, S. Maposa, P. Telford, and L. Berry. "Qualities of exemplary nurse
leaders: perspectives of frontline nurses." Journal of Nursing Management 22 (2013): 127-136.
John Wiley & Sons. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
Foy, Shirley. Personal interview. 26 Mar. 2014.
Harris, R., J. Bennett, and F. Ross. "Leadership and innovation in nursing seen through a historical lens."
Journal of Advanced Nursing 0 (2013): 1-10. John Wiley & Sons. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
Milton, C. L.. "Leadership And Ethics In Nurse-Nurse Relationships." Nursing Science Quarterly 22.2
(2009): 116-119. Sage. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.