The given post will primarily focus on the manager’s point of view. As a manager, I would not view the conflict as an inherently negative occurrence, which means that no side will be favored without proper investigation and analysis. It should be noted that conflict can be beneficial, but if the people involved cannot manage it well, it can impede collaboration and lead to lower efficiency (Lahana et al., 2019). Thus, I would discuss the presented issues with Ramona with an emphasis on transparency and clarity. I would call her to my office and ensure that she has no other urgent responsibilities by arranging the meeting comfortably and conveniently. The interaction and discussion would be initiated with the highest level of politeness and consideration.
If Ramona told me she did not care what I thought and walked out, I would avoid overreacting. As her superior, this would be a direct and clear incident of disrespectful behavior and employee insubordination from her. I would immediately record and document it as proof in favor of the charge nurses. I would approach her once again with the request for a meeting and discussion as professionally as possible. I would precisely outline that this is a case of employee subordination, which has serious implications. According to Abdollahi et al. (2018), nursing managers are expected to increase the competence of nurses. Therefore, an assumption would be made that she lacks the knowledge and competence not to behave in this manner.
If Ramona refused to speak with me, I would professionally insist on a warning thrice before proceeding with disciplinary actions. The progressive discipline principle would be applied, where a verbal warning would be given first. In case of repeated insubordinations, the actions would be followed by a written warning. If the latter was ineffective, a final warning would be provided. The subsequent disciplinary actions would be probation or suspension from work, and if they did not work, Ramona would be terminated. If Ramona started crying or accused me of discrimination, I would not be affected by her reaction and would proceed with my plan of three warnings and disciplinary actions. As a manager, I should support my employees, but crying without a work-related reason does not fall into my professional interests and obligations. For accusations, my documentation of incidents would help me to counter her statements.
The post raises a valid point about nursing burnout, which can impact and contribute to Ramona’s behavior, and thus, I agree with the concept expressed. However, it is important to clarify whether there is a form of responsibility from the burnout nurses’ side to report the problem to their superiors or managers. I can support the acknowledgment of the phenomenon, and I consider it provides a strong case for Ramona, but some issues require reporting and addressing instead of expressing them in disrespectful behavior. In other words, Ramona’s burnout is a problem, but it is not a justification for her poor behavior and work performance. Nursing is a profession with high risks, such as a patient’s well-being, which is why Ramona needs to immediately communicate her burnout to the manager. Since nursing burnout puts a strain on the quality of care, endangering the patients, it is unethical for Ramona not to address it with her manager. Thus, a deeper insight would be to prioritize patient safety above personal attitudes or interactions at work.
References
Abdollahi, A., Tabibi, J., & Komeili, A. (2018). Selection, recruitment and training of nursing managers in hospitals: A comparative study.Modern Care Journal, 15(3), 1-9. Web.
Lahana, E., Tsaras, K., Kalaitzidou, A., Galanis, P., Kaitelidou, D., & Sarafis, P. (2017). Conflicts management in public sector nursing.International Journal of Healthcare Management, 12(1), 33-39. Web.