Leadership in Healthcare
Description
Refer to the attached documents for assessment guide and example.
Complete following the nursing scenario,
Nursing Scenario
You have been working in a work unit for the past two years. In this time the long-term Nursing Unit
Manager (NUM) has retired and there has been seven different nurses acting in this position. None of
the nurses who have acted in the position have expressed a desire to continue in the role when it is
advertised. The work unit has a reputation for having ‘a difficult culture’. There is a higher than
average staff turn-over rate and the sick leave is double the hospital average. Overtime is required of
staff on every shift to fill deficits in the roster and there are 25% of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions
unfilled. This unit has had difficulty recruiting senior experienced Registered Nurses (RNs), and
management have recently decided to hire more graduates to reduce the cost of overtime staff. In the
last 6 months medication errors and consumer falls have significantly increased, and there has been
increasing reports of aggression between staff and from consumers. Complaints from consumers and
families are steadily increasing. The Nurse Educator (NE) role is not permanently recruited to and there
has been four NEs in the past nine months. The Clinical Facilitator (CF) role is unfilled.
Aim:
The aim of this task is to enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the impact of
leadership on quality outcomes in a work unit. Students will assess a scenario relevant to their work
context and identify potential symptoms of compromised organisational governance and/or
disengaged leadership practices. This assignment will help students develop their critical evaluation
skills and form arguments based on contemporary evidence, which are essential skills for practice
improvement.
This assignment addresses Course Learning Outcome 1.
Critically appraise leadership, change management and organisational theories and principles
and determine their applicability to your practice.
Task Description:
You will choose a scenario relevant to your discipline context and examine the scenario for
potential issues that could be linked to leadership practices or organisational governance issues (i.e.
escalation, policy/procedure issues, risk management). For this task you are required to write an essay.
1. Choose a scenario most relevant to your context or specialty stream. Please contact the course
convenor for any questions about scenarios relevant to your practice area.
2. Concisely describe the context and situation including the most important factors that are
impacting on the workplace and delivery of safe, quality care or professional practices. Factors
discussed are prioritised.
3. Critically evaluate the issues identified that may impact on consumers, patients or other stakeholders in this setting supported by relevant literature.
4. Prioritise and make recommendations specific to your scenario setting including strategies that can be implemented to support quality of care.
