Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

Analyzing a Manager
Ferris State University
K. Lee Barnes and Maria Licari

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

Analyzing a Leader
This paper will summarize an interview of the floor manager, Timothy Scholten, of the
4N floor at Butterworth Hospital. This floor specializes in orthopaedics and trauma. Timothy
Scholten has a Bachelors in Science and Nursing and a Masters Degree in Health
Administration. The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) outlines the top skills
and competencies needed to be a successful manager, and will be used to assess Scholten.
Overview
Scholten began as a nurse tech in the Emergency Department (ED) of Butterworth and
moved his way up to registered nurse, charge nurse, and was the manager of ED for four years.
Tim then became a hospital supervisor for two years. Tim Scholten assisted with the opening of
the ortho/neuro trauma floor where he is currently the floor manager, overseeing the first shift
staff.
According to Yoder-Wise (2011), Scholten is a part of a functional organizational
structure and reports to the director of nursing (Yoder-Wise, p.146). Yoder-Wise explains a
functional organization as one that arranges departments and services according to
specialty...and is common in the healthcare organizations (Yoder-Wise, 2011). Scholten is
involved with managing the day-to-day operations of the unit by managing tasks such as staffing,
pay, benefits and budget. Scholten collaborates with the director of nursing as well as the nursing
quality to develop and maintain quality and safety outcomes on the floor. He does this by
reviewing current policies and procedures and collaborates with the quality staff and director to
change policies as needed.
Communication and Relationship Building

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

As a manager it is essential to be able to, communicate effectively, manage
relationships, inspire community involvement, and influence the behavior of others (AONE,
2011). Scholten maintains his proficiency in these areas by having office his right next to the
unit and being active on the floor.
Scholten has a window inserted into his door to promote staff communication and reduce
hesitancy to approach him. Scholten maintains an open door policy and constant
communication with staff on the floor. Nurse Educator journal states, The underlying purpose
of an open-door policy is to open lines of communication, build trust, and encourage feedbackbilaterally (Kenner, Pressler, & White, 2008). New Educator journal also emphasizes that
having an open door policy in place helps managers maintain effective communication with their
staff (Kenner, Pressler, & White, 2008). This policy can also have positive effects on the culture
of the floor by improving morale and reducing gossip on the floors (Arthur, 2015). Scholten
enjoyed implementing this policy because, It makes me approachable to staff, and keeps me
involved with the floor and any issues that arise (T.Scholten , personal communication, March
8th, 2015).
Using effective communication, Scholten maintains relationships with staff by speaking
with them at the morning meeting and regularly throughout the day. This caring attitude makes it
easy for staff to communicate any concerns they may have. In addition to staff, Scholten also
maintains relationships with all aspects of patient care on the floor by evaluating the patients
health status and the interactions between nurses, nurse techs, physicians, specialty staff, and
family (AONE, 2011). Scholten helps orchestrate positive patient outcomes and interactions by
overseeing coordination of care and utilizing the form of communication most effective for that
individual.

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

Knowledge of the Healthcare Environment
A requirement for the position of nurse manager is to have experience as a practicing
registered nurse. Scholten has had a number of years working at the bedside and has a firm
understanding about what his nursing staff experiences during their day-to-day operations. Using
this knowledge Scholten adapts policies to streamline patient care and create the best possible
patient outcomes. AONE states managers must have, clinical practice knowledge, knowledge
of patient care models and work design, health care policy knowledge, understanding evidencebased practice, outcome measurement, knowledge on quality improvement, and dedication to
patient safety (AONE, 2011).
Scholten used his knowledge about current policies to improve patient safety and quality
by implementing a no pass call light policy. According to the new policy no staff
member(unless they are delivering medications) could walk past a room with the call light on.
The premise of this policy is to hold staff accountable for patient care, and not to pass off
responsibility to others. This initiative had been previously implemented on other floors and the
evidence from those trials indicated this policy lead to decreased falls and increased patient
satisfaction. To ensure the same outcomes were being reached on his floor, Scholten looked at
the average call light time of each shift to measure the effectiveness of the policy. To motivate
the staff to reduce their times Scholten began comparing the results between first and third shift,
rewarding the shift with the lowest average response time.
Leadership
Nurse manager is a position that requires leaders to utilize different skills in order to be
an effective leader, these include foundational thinking skills and systems thinking (AONE,
2011). Foundational thinking skills are incorporated when a manager, Addresses ideas, beliefs

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

or viewpoints that should be given serious consideration (AONE, 2011). On the floor Scholten
meets this standard by reflecting on feedback from all staff members through daily team
meetings. During team meetings Scholten discusses upcoming changes and issues on the floor.
These meetings are informal and encourage discussion of problems in order to find a solution
that is effective for all members of the healthcare team.
Nurse managers utilize systems thinking by, Providing leadership in building loyalty and
commitment throughout the organization. Scholten has demonstrated this standard by loyally
advocating for the staff on the floor. For example, relationships between nurses and the
physicians on the floor often become strained due to poor communication and lack of respect.
Occasionally, this can result in a conflict, if Scholten is informed that a physician is being
disrespectful he immediately addresses the situation. This prompt action and willingness to
advocate for staff had helped build confidence in his leadership abilities and loyalty among the
staff.
Professionalism
An effective manager utilizes personal and professional accountability, ethics, evidencebased clinical and management practice, as well as advocacy to exhibit professionalism (AONE,
2011). Scholten actively creates a workplace in which he inspires his staff to produce positive
results in patient care by utilizing evidence-based practice. The AONE states a manager should
teach and mentor others to routinely utilize evidence-based data and research (AONE, 2011).
Scholten has exhibited professionalism by emphasizing use of IV angiocatheters that have a hub
that does not allow blood to flow out without being connected to tubing. This policy was
implemented to reduce the risk of staff exposure to blood during IV insertion. Scholten

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

collaborated with the nurse educator to ensure staff were adequately trained and comfortable
using the new IV angiocatheters.
A competent leader is one that ensures that nurses are actively involved in decisions that
affect their practice (AONE, 2011). Scholten routinely checks in with staff and listens to their
concerns about the floor and collaboratively identifies areas that could be improved on. Scholten
holds himself and staff accountable, as well as creates an environment that facilitates the team
to initiate actions that produce results (AONE, 2011). Scholten and his staff are proud to say
that they maintain a high standard of patient care on their floor that it is exhibited by embracing
the new call light policy, which has assisted in reducing their times to the lowest among all
participating floors. The initiation of this policy has created an environment that has
demonstrated the floors ability to produce results that result in more positive patient outcomes.
(AONE, 2011).
Business Skills
As a manager Scholten utilizes his masters degree in Healthcare Administration to
effectively manage finances and human resources (AONE, 2011). AONE states that proficient
managers, Manage financial resources by developing business plans (AONE, 2011). Scholtens
business plan calls for fiscal responsibility by managing the personnel pulled to the floor when
short staffed. For example, Scholten would rather pull additional nurses aide, which costs less
than pulling a nurse.
As the manager Scholten is also in charge of human resources which requires him to hire
new personnel to the floor and resolve any conflicts. He indicates that he bases his intent to hire
off the results of the interview. During this interview he looks for traits such as personality and
determines if the applicant would help maintain a positive work environment.

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

Managers proactively prevent conflict by encouraging healthy communication and
maintenance of positive attitudes. According to Scholten, When an issues arises with one of the
staff I usually investigate the issue by speaking with the staff member who initially reported the
issue. Once I have a grasp of the situation I will speak to the nurse directly (T.Scholten,
personal communication, March 8th, 2015). Often the situation resolves itself, but there are steps
in place to ensure if an issue is recurring termination can occur.
Conclusion
Scholten meets certain competencies in each AONE standard, which supports his success
as a manager on Butterworth 4N. Scholten has opportunities available for staff to bring their
concerns to him and maintain constructive conversation among staff. He utilizes his knowledge
about bedside nursing to implement policies and change that will benefit staff and result in
positive patient outcomes. He remains professional in all aspects of care, and relationships he
has with other members of the healthcare team. All the positive feedback he receives, and his
professional demeanor have lead to the authors looking to him as an example of how to be an
effective nurse manager. In the future as the authors become leaders on the floors of their choice
they will continue measuring themselves against the AONE standards and the example Scholten
has set.

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER

References
AONE (2011). The AONE nurse executive competencies. The American Organization of Nurse
Executives. Retrieved from: http://www.aone.org/resources/leadership%20tools/nurse
comp. shtml
Arthur, L. (n.d.). Open Door Policy for Employee Communication. Retrieved April 1, 2015,
from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/open-door-policy-employee-communic ation
-1561 1.html
Kenner, C., Pressler, J.L., & White, J.J. (2008). The open door policy: Good or bad for whom?
Nurse Educator. Retrieved from: PubMed doi:
10.1097/01.NNE.0000299515.24012.7e.
Yoder-Wise, P.S., (2011). Leading and managing in nursing. (6th ed.). St. Louis, Mo.:
Mosby/Elsevier.

Running head: ANALYZING A MANAGER