By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
A nurse manager recently told me that a new nurse had questioned her about what she does in her role. She noted, “Initially, I found myself a little defensive – it appeared she was questioning my value on the unit. I then realized that she really doesn’t know what my role is on the unit and probably is not the only nurse who is unclear about what I do – what is the best way to educate staff about the role of leaders.”
This nurse manager’s comment generated an interesting discussion among other leaders with similar experiences. One manager shared with the group that she reviewed her responsibilities with new nurses and offered shadowing experiences. This practice led her to recognize that most young nurses don’t know the difference between the charge nurse, the assistant manager, and the manager. With so few expert nurses left in her unit, they don’t get guidance from other staff. She noted, “We assume that nurses know what managers do, but that is definitely not the case. I have worked hard to clearly delineate roles so new staff know who to go to in various situations.”
Another strategy to promote role clarity is to develop a user’s guide for you, the manager. The more staff know about you as a person, the better they can understand your unique style of management. Creating a user manual also requires that you reflect on your leadership practices. The act of writing things down helps you to clarify what you value. You can give a copy to every new nurse who joins your unit.
A Users Guide to Working with You answers that nurses have about your role, and you can even add a frequently asked questions and answers section as a supplement. It is a best practice worth trying.
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