NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay
The CliftonStrengths Assessment revealed a number of strengths that describe my leadership abilities. The assessment revealed that my top two strengths are analytical and deliberative. Analytical people investigate situations before drawing conclusions. They gather information about events to help them make sound decisions. Analytical thinkers are critical and creative thinkers. They do not consider events as they appear, but rather seek to uncover the factors that may affect them. Analytical thinkers investigate existing alternatives and choose the one that provides the greatest benefit to all parties involved. The assessment also revealed that I am deliberate. People who are deliberate are cautious in their actions. They are wary of decision-making methods. They operate under the assumption that their world is highly unpredictable. As a result, decisions should be made while keeping unforeseen events in mind (Grossman & Valiga, 2020). Making effective use of these strengths will enable me to make ethical decisions in my leadership roles.
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Nurses and nurse leaders’ effective leadership styles and skills have a significant impact on how health care providers work. Organizations with effective leadership styles, according to studies, have better relationships, lower staff turnover, fewer conflicts, increased staff involvement in work, and make better use of resources. As leaders, nurses must have core values based on their personal leadership philosophy that reflect what they believe to be effective leadership characteristics. In situations where nurses must make difficult decisions, leadership philosophies provide guidance (Asamani et al., 2016). This article will go over my personal leadership philosophies, mission statement, and results from the Clifton Strengths Assessment. The article will outline a plan for improving my behaviors and achieving my personal goals.
Leadership Week 7 Initial Post
Results of the Clark Health Workplace Inventory concluded that the organization I am employed with is a moderately healthy workplace (Clark, 2015). I am surprised that the results fell in the category they did, I expected a lower score. The reasoning behind the score I expected was because of the current pandemic. Employees are leaving for higher paying jobs and many have been unhappy with the stress caused by the pandemic. However, the employees of the organization share the same vision to improve the lives of the community and we have leaders that are open to listening to our concerns, maintaining a
civil work environment. I was also surprised by the emphasis by the assessment regarding employee self-care and teamwork as required by NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay. Even during the pandemic, our organization as encouraged self-care giving quiet rooms with massage chairs and our manager has been available even on weekends and late at night to ensure the unit’s needs are being met. During the stress and chaos of the pandemic, I moved to the intensive care unit. I was met by a unit that was constantly full of high acuity patients than normal even for the ICU. However, I found that the team worked well together and communicated effectively presenting a work environment that was civil and healthy and I am proud to be apart of .
The main idea I had about the results was that the organization runs smoothly because of its shared mission, values, and goals. Christus Good Shepherd’s mission is to extend Jesus Christ’s healing ministry by upholding core values such as dignity, integrity, excellence, compassion, and stewardship. Christus Health’s vision is to be a leader and advocate in the development of innovative health and wellness solutions to improve the lives of individuals in the community so that all may experience Jesus Christ’s healing love (Christus Health, 2021:NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay ). However, as evidenced by the assessment results that did not place in the top category, the current pandemic has put a strain on certain aspects such as competitive pay and workplace tension.
One instance where I have felt that I had an uncivil encounter was when I was in the ICU and one of the physicians started yelling orders at me during a stressful situation and griping in front of the patient that it was late in the day to be inserting lines and such.
Clark (2015) states that the most effective way to stop incivility is to address it when it occurs. However, this takes practice and requires effective communication and competent dialogue. At the time, I was unable to address the physician outside of the patient’s room, however I have a wonderful team that did address it with the doctor as part of NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay. The team member gently spoke with the physician in the appropriate environment and reminded him that we are all exhausted, but that appropriate communication is essential to decrease work stress between staff and provide safe and effective patient care. Working under conditions of civil communication, promotes role performance of team members (Liu, et. al., 2020). Even under stressful working conditions, it is important for each team member to promote a civil working environment to support optimum work performance of each team
member.
NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay References
Christus Health (2021). Christus Health: Our vision, mission, and values. Retrieved from https://www.christushealth.org/about/our-
mission-values-and-vision
Clark, C.M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18-23. Retrieved
from .
Liu, Y., Vashdi, D. R., Cross, T., Bamberger, P., & Erez, A. (2020). Exploring the puzzle of civility: Whether and when team civil
communication influences team members’ role performance. Human Relations, 73(2), 215–241. https://doi-
org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1177/0018726719830164
Response 1 to H
Hi, H
I enjoyed reading your response. Our organizations share a few similarities. We have experienced a mass exodus of well-trained nurses leaving to working as COVID travel nurses. One of my co-workers got frustrated with floating to the COVID unit weekly and decided that she was better off working as a travel nurse. She loves the pay and flexibility. I am happy that our organization has offered bonuses and critical pay to entice nurses to stay so we have not been hit hard with the nursing shortage like other places. Having financial incentive makes the stress somewhat bearable. My organization has been focusing on the wellness of its employees during this time. We had licensed massage therapists come and give shoulder massages during the Christmas break. That was a welcomed and much needed treat.
Effective communication is the key to achieving organizational goals (Luu & Phan, 2020, p. 31). I am glad your new unit utilizes effective communication. Effective communication has been shown to enhance the quality of patient care and reduce errors (Broome & Marshall, 2020, p. 157). According to Broome and Marshall (2020), active listening is the most effective tool for successful communication. Yelling is verbal abuse. According to Clark (2015), bullying and harassment should not be tolerated. Kudos for your team member speaking up against the yelling doctor because such behavior can negatively impact one’s ability to perform their job. “Engaging in clear and courteous communication fosters a civil work environment” and enhances the delivery of care (Clark, 2015, p. 19). Clark (2019) developed an evidence-based technique where nurses can practice addressing workplace issues in a safe environment with a trainer overseer. I think your organization would benefit from having such a class in place, especially for new staff members to teach them how to address stressful situations effectively.
NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay References
Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2020). Transformational Leadership in Nursing: From Expert Clinician to Influential Leader (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
Clark, C. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 20. https://www.myamericannurse.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf
Clark, C. M. (2019). Combining Cognitive Rehearsal, Simulation, and Evidence-Based Scripting to Address Incivility. Nurse Educator, 44(2), 64–68. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000563
Luu, D. T., & Phan, H. V. (2020). The Effects of Transformational Leadership and Job Satisfaction on Commitment to Organisational Change: A Three-Component Model Extension Approach. The South East Asian Journal of Management, 14(1), 31–33. https://doi.org/10.21002/seam.v14i1.11585
Main Post
The results from the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory for my organization came back with a score of 68, which falls into the category of barley healthy (Clark, 2015). I was a little surprised by this, I thought the organization would have done better but after seeing the questions, I realize there is a lot that needs to be changed. A few of the lowest scores came from the following questions: Communication at all levels of the organization are transparent, direct and respectful. There are sufficient opportunities for promotion and career advancement and lastly, the organization attracts the biggest and brightest. Seeing that these three questions scored as a 2, was an eye-opener to me. The questions that received 5’s were; individual achievements are celebrated and publicized and employees are treated in a fair and respectful manner. All other questions either received a 3 or 4 for their score.
Clark, 2015 wrote that “safe patient care hinges on our ability to cope with stress effectively, manage our emotions, and communicate respectively”. All these are such important factors not only for patient safety but also to provide a civil workplace. The small hospital (organization) that I work for is notorious for leadership not communicating with those they lead and often times has been found to not be very transparent. This causes issues with new policies being implemented and makes the employees not feel respected. Another issue that makes this organization considered “not healthy” is the fact that there are not ample opportunities for people to get promoted or have career advancement. The organization is small and those that have been there longer and know the leadership are often the ones that see the promotions or advancement in career, regardless of job performance or education. Lastly, the organization is unhealthy due to not attracting “the best and the brightest”, again due to its small size, they often hire people they hire people they know, instead of hiring the best candidate for the job. Incivility can negatively impact team performance and the delivery of patient care (Griffin & Clark, 2014). I see this quite often in my organization. Often there is no team due to the personal feelings of those who have been passed over for a promotion to someone who is not as qualified or due to the new employee only being hired due to whom they know, not what they know.
An example of incivility in my organization is bullying. Workplace bullying has costs organizations an estimated $250 million a year related to absenteeism and lost productivity (Orr & Sester, 2020). Acts of workplace bullying can be categorized into three areas: work related acts, personal/emotional acts, and physical or threatening acts. The first two areas cover what happened in my organization. In my department we have a worker that had been with the organization for a very long time and is well liked by leadership, therefore her behavior towards other co-workers was always looked over. This worker would constantly bully new workers in our department when she orientated them. She would criticize their work, in front of others, even though they had been doing this same type of work longer than she had, and tell them they would not be able to do the job unless they did it her way. She was also in charge of the schedule for everyone in the department and would often “punish” those that she had had a disagreement with by not giving them the schedule they had asked for or by giving them a not so great one. My organization finally dealt with this when a new department manager came in and lost two new employees due to this person. The new department manager started writing the worker up when there were incidents of bullying, since just about everyone in the department felt her bullying. Then, there was a mandatory class for all in the department regarding bullying and respect in the workplace. Next, the worker was told that if her behavior did not change, she would be terminated. This particular worker could not change her ways and was finally terminated. The difference in the atmosphere in the department completely changed. Communication among us became better and more respectful, we were more productive, and we didn’t lose another new employee since she left. It took 5 years for all this to happen because before the new department manager, the leadership allowed incivility even though they knew about it. According to the World Health Organization, a healthy workplace is where workers and managers collaborate to continually improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of all workers (n.d.).
NURS 6053 Week 7 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment Sample Essay References
Belton, L. W., & Dyrenforth, S. R. (2007). Civility in the workplace. Measuring the positive
outcomes of a respectful work environment. Healthcare Executive, 22(5), 40.
Clark, C.M. (2015) Conversations to inspire an promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse
Today, 10(11), 18-23. Retrieved from
Griffin, M., & Clark, C. M. (2014). Revisiting cognitive rehearsal as an intervention against
incivility and lateral violence in nursing: 10 years later. The Journal of Continuing
Education in Nursing, 45(12), 535-542.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.3928/00220124-20141122-02
Orr, D., & Seter, M. (2020). OD Strategies and Workplace Bullying: Approaches for Prevention,
Existing Issues, and Post-Event Understanding. Organization Development Review,
52(3), 36–45.
What is a healthy workplace. (n.d.). Government of South Australia.
Thank you for sharing your Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory results Laura. I found them interesting and not too different from the results of my own. Your organization scored 68 overall and mine achieved a score of 74. What really struck me about your post was the quote you included from our course resources about the need for individuals to manage their emotions and engage in respectful communication when under stress (Clark, 2015). In the example I shared, this was precisely the root of the uncivil incident I experienced with a provider. It was clear that his response was emotionally driven, anger filled, and therefore uncivil. It felt like bullying. But what was most surprising to me about it was that this incivility was delivered in writing, via email. I thought this showed an especially egregious lack of emotional control, especially from the top physician provider in my organization.
Broome and Marshall assert that healthcare environments need to be as healthy for the individuals providing the care as it is for the patients receiving the care (p. 239). When the leaders of an organization engage in emotion fueled communication, this is not conducive to a healthy environment. You state that a lack of communication and transparency in your organization leaves the staff feeling that they are not respected, and this causes problems with implementing new policies. I agree completely. In my organization the volatile personality of the head physician leaves our other leadership and front line staff also feeling this way. It is a major obstacle to improving our systems to deliver better and safer patient care. This is a clear demonstration of the importance of civility in healthcare environments.
Thanks so much for your post. I wish you great success in the program and your future nursing career.
References
Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
Clark, C. M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18-23. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf
Work Environment Assessment Template
Use this document to complete the Module 4 Workplace Environment Assessment.
| Summary of Results – Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory | The results of my assessment ended up with a total score of 80. Based on the article an 80 is on the low end of moderately healthy. Most of the sections had a score of four to five. There were several sections where I scored it a three. The first one was, “the organizational culture is assessed on an ongoing basis, and measures are taken to improve it based on results of that assessment.” I scored this one a three because this is done on a patient safety basis and what we can do better for our patients. While patient safety and satisfaction is very important, leaders tend to over look the staff members and what we can do better to help each other. The other topic I chose a three for was, “members of the organization are actively engaged in shared governance, joint decision-making, and policy development, review, and revision.” This one received a three as well because nurse leaders at my facility will ask staff members for their opinions on certain polices and/or procedures. However, there is rarely follow ups or changes made based on staff members’ opinions. A lot of the time the focus on policy/procedural changes are based on what leaders feel will be best however, floor nurses and other staff members are the ones who see firsthand what needs to be changed to benefit the unit.
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| Identify two things that surprised you about the results. Also identify one idea that you believed prior to conducting the Assessment that was confirmed. | I was shocked that the score was not higher. I am currently working as a travel nurse, so I did my assessment on the hospital I have been at for the past year. I have continued extending here since this has been one of the best facilities I have worked for. Everyone works together as a strong team and has been so helpful since I have been here. It doesn’t matter what unit I work on; I am always treated as “part of the team” even though I work for an agency. This was also the first hospital where I met the CEO, and he told me to always come to him if any issues arise with patients or staff members and aren’t handled adequately. He stated his staff safety and satisfaction are his main priority and leadership as well as doctors are on the same page.
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| What do the results of the Assessment suggest about the health and civility of your workplace? | There needs to be changes in how leaders handle staff member’s opinions and concerns. Leaders need to follow up when a staff member has a suggestion and trial to see if it is benefit to the unit. My facility could also improve on helping staff members deal with conflict between difficult patients, family, and other staff.
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| Briefly describe the theory or concept presented in the article(s) you selected.
Explain how the theory or concept presented in the article(s) relates to the results of your Work Environment Assessment. |
The concept I selected was Cognitive Rehearsal. Cognitive rehearsal is a technique used in behavioral science whereby individuals work with a skilled facilitator to discuss and rehearse effective ways to address a particular problem or social situation (Clark, 2019). As mentioned above leaders don’t always take into consideration staff member concerns or opinions. This can lead to conflicts down the road. Staff members who don’t feel valued may have less enthusiasm at work and start to care less. This can lead to a lower quality of care to patients and lower work ethic. The section “members of the organization use effective conflict resolution skills and address disagreements in a respectful and responsible manner” also scored low on my assessment. This could be improved by utilizing cognitive rehearsal. |
| Explain how your organization could apply the theory highlighted in your selected article(s) to improve organizational health and/or create stronger work teams. Be specific and provide examples. | Facilities that I have worked at in the past would have simulation scenarios to help staff members better handle conflicts with patients and other staff. Two people would act out the scenario with a script. When the scenario was over, they would each be asked how they felt during the scenario and what they would have don’t differently. Participants watching the scenario would then be asked the same questions. I, being some one who absolutely hates conflict, these scenarios made it easier to deal with in real world situations. The facility I work at currently does not do anything like this and I think it would help staff members to handle conflict in the workplace better. Combining cognitive rehearsal with evidence-based scripting within a deliberate practice model and with skilled debriefing has been proven to be an effective method to provide nurses and nursing students with the essential skills needed to effectively address uncivil encounters when they happen, thereby increasing the likelihood of success in stopping the behavior and protecting patient safety (Clark, 2019).
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| General Notes/Comments |
Reference: Clark, C. (2019). Combining Cognitive Rehearsal, Simulation, and Evidence-Based Scripting to Address Incivility. Nurse Educator, 44 (2), 64-68. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000563.
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| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Posting |
45 (45%) – 50 (50%)
Answers all parts of the discussion question(s) expectations with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources. Supported by at least three current, credible sources. Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
Responds to the discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least three credible sources. Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
Responds to some of the discussion question(s). One or two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed. Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Post is cited with two credible sources. Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Contains some APA formatting errors. |
0 (0%) – 34 (34%)
Does not respond to the discussion question(s) adequately. Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria. Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Contains only one or no credible sources. Not written clearly or concisely. Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
| Main Post: Timeliness |
10 (10%) – 10 (10%)
Posts main post by day 3.
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not post by day 3.
|
| First Response |
17 (17%) – 18 (18%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings. Responds fully to questions posed by faculty. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
15 (15%) – 16 (16%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
13 (13%) – 14 (14%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth. Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
0 (0%) – 12 (12%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth. Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited. |
| Second Response |
16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings. Responds fully to questions posed by faculty. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
12 (12%) – 13 (13%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth. Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
0 (0%) – 11 (11%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth. Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited. |
| Participation |
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days.
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0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
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0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on 3 different days.
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| Total Points: 100 |
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