Orthopedic unit
Susie Smith, a nurse manager of a 77-bed orthopedic unit, is trying to get the pharmacy to deliver medications earlier in the morning. The clinical nurses are unable to schedule procedures in a timely manner, medicate clients on time because of the late pharmacy delivery. Nurse Smith has scheduled meetings with the pharmacy manager. She has determined the exact time required for timely delivery to the unit and for proper client medication delivery. After brainstorming to identify options, she has decided that she will not back down on her demand that the medications be administered earlier. When Nurse Smith meets with the pharmacy manager, she clearly states the problem and asks for input from his perspective. The pharmacy manager tells Nurse Smith that he cannot change the time schedule because he will upset his workers and their organization. Nurse Smith empathizes with him but reiterates that for quality care, it is essential to administer medications in a timely fashion. Nurse Smith offers to work with him in analyzing delivery times to help develop a different schedule that meets everyone’s needs. The pharmacy manager declines and tells her that it is her problem, not his. What should Nurse Smith do?
2. A patient in the orthopedic unit suffers a significant setback in his recovery when he cannot function properly during physical therapy because his pain medications were not available at the right time to enable him to participate pain-free. The physicians on the orthopedic unit speak out in support of the patients’ needs to receive medications in a timely fashion. As a result, a small task group is made up of Nurse Smith, the pharmacy manager, and two staff members from both departments. Because she was the one who tried to spearhead this change, Nurse Smith is made the group leader. Not wanting to alienate the already defensive pharmacy team members, she decides she will only use an empowering style of leadership. Do you agree with her?
