Assignment 1

Albert Ho Siew Foo, 51, National University Hospital, Nurse Manager

A:  I have to see to the daily assignment of the staff and the smooth running of the Operating Room (OR).  I also have to take inventory, make sure sufficient equipment is available and the equipment is functioning normally, and to purchase new equipment if necessary for replacements or upgrading of technology. I also have to draw up the duty roster of the staff. Occasionally I have to deal with complaints or disputes from the hospital staff, my colleagues or the patients. I also have to orientate and supervise new staff members, and help them to settle down in their new working environment.

B: Open and non-confrontational approach, not top-down. The door is always open for my staff to come in anytime. I have to be firm yet compassionate, praise them when they’ve done a good job, yet not put them down when they’ve done wrong, but ensure that they know where they’ve gone wrong. (human relations)

C: Unreasonable staff that always wants his way for their own personal gains. High number of staff taking MCs at all times. Insufficient time to finish assignments due to being bogged down with everything else. I have to balance out the skills of my staff so that the right person gets the right job and also to have a well-rounded and well-distributed team of staff members according to their areas of expertise.

D: For the unreasonable staff member, I have to understand him and talk sense into him. I try to make him understand that the department’s needs come before his own, but sometimes it doesn’t work.

For the high number of staff taking MCs, I personally go in and help my staff. If possible, I try to call staff back, but more importantly, I try to find out and understand the reasons why they take MC. Some staff members fall sick easily due to the stress of the job and being unable to deal with the working environment.

For insufficient time, I delegate out the lower-priority assignments to some of the more experienced staff. This also gives them opportunities for them to groom themselves and go to the next level. If need be, stay overtime to complete the assignments.

For the balancing of staff, I try to get to know my staff and gain their trust and confidence in me, so that I can do a proper assignment of their abilities and assign them an appropriate position that they can excel in so that they can do well generally, and also gain compliments from their colleagues and seniors.

E: He must be able to talk the talk and walk the walk, and be willing to work shoulder-to-shoulder with his staff. He must be versatile and knowledgeable in his area of work, and must be willing to go the extra mile to help his staff. If you do the best for them, they will do their best for you and back you up in times of crisis.