Organizational Analysis – Part 2
Introduction
Kessler Rehabilitation Center New Jersey is a therapeutic center that deals with orthopedic, neuromuscular, and sports-related injuries, among other services. To effectively offer services to patients, the institution has to institute excellent leadership as well as medical services to the patients. It is important to note that the center ranks one of the best organizations an individual can work in (“West Orange (Northfield Ave) | Kessler Rehabilitation Center,” 2020). Such a rating means that the facility has excellent employee relationships. Exemplary services at the hospital include not only excellent medical services but also excellent employee relations. Leadership and organizational structure play a significant role in the effectiveness of patient outcomes.
Summary
The institution uses a matrix type of organizational structure that combines functional and divisional models. The system focuses on function under units, which further split into smaller groups (Sullivan, 2019). Responsibilities vary depending on the position of leadership. A nursing manager has more responsibilities in comparison to a team supervisor. A senior nurse is also in charge of more tasks as opposed to a junior nurse
Nurse Manager
Sharon Smith is a registered advanced practice nurse manager at Kessler and is responsible for nurses in the sports-related injury department. Responsibilities include overseeing patient care through treatment coordination. The nurse also coordinates meetings and work schedules. Administrative decisions and budgetary allocations are part of the job tasks. The manager also is on the frontline of policy advocacy and research. Sharon previously worked as a supervisor in the same department and is currently working in her fourth year as a nurse manager. To ensure relevance in the managerial capacity, the manager is a member of the American Nursing Association and is an ardent reader of journals by the association as well as other journals such as the Journal of Research in Nursing and the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care. Sharon is currently undertaking her Masters in nursing to further her development in the medical field. The manager also volunteers as a home-based caregiver for a recovering elderly orthopedic patient in her neighborhood.
Nurse Leader
For effective leadership, the use of more than one leadership style is necessary, depending on the situation at any particular time (Rose, 2020). Sharon predominantly uses a participative leadership style that allows participation and input about task completion from team members. Authoritative and delegation leadership styles are in practice as well. Sharon sometimes gives orders regarding a particular task such as patient treatment, which needs fulfillment without question, hence the use of an authoritative leadership style. Delegation of responsibilities also happens when nurses collect and electronically store patient data. Practice partnerships that encourage collaboration and mentorship between senior nurses and junior licensed and unlicensed nurses (Sullivan, 2017, p.34) are in practice as well.
Participation is also evident when budget allocation is taking place as Sharon includes the team members to identify priorities requiring attention. Advocacy also involves participatory leadership in identifying ways to come up with policies that positively affect nurses and patients. The authoritative style in treatment-related issues does not always yield positive results. The lack of opinion from other employees can result in treatment that does not offer the best outcome for the patient. Crisis management relating to treatment options is better handled by collective participation to exhaust possible solutions and outcomes. For example, the nurse authorized the reduction of therapy sessions for an athletic patient with a tendon injury. As a result, the recovery period timeline did not yield the intended outcome. An inclusive process would probably record a different result.
Communication
The sports athlete treatment decision is a top-down kind of information transmission. The instruction on treatment for use by the team members is equally a downward communication. The inclusion of team members in budgetary allocations as well as advocacy issues is a peer type of communication as team members are free to air views. Sharon is a compassionate yet authoritative manager who has high integrity and takes responsibility for the team. The top-down communication is considered without reservation since the team members trust Sharon’s decision making. The inclusive dialogue makes the employees feel needed and appreciated increasing the level of respect that Sharon receives. The authoritarian quality sometimes has limitations as it does not encourage open communication. Sharon could encourage open communication more without giving up her authoritative trait as it earns her respect from team members. Communication involves written communication such as memos as well as verbal communication such as meetings. Body language is also a form of communication that Sharon uses a lot. For example, her walking style and straight chinned posture communicate the authoritative trait.
Conclusion
Leadership is a vital aspect that is pertinent to the patient outcome at the Kessler Rehabilitation Center. Sharon, the sports-related injury department nurse manager, carries out her responsibility to realize positive patient outcomes. The case of the athlete with a tendon injury is an example of a positive result, not becoming a reality. The issue is an indication that leadership style affects patient outcomes through team member job execution. Communication is essential regardless of the leadership style in use. Open communication that is inclusive of other parties involved, such as nurses and patients is necessary. Leadership style is also dependent on the situation at hand. It means that more than one technique is feasible as long as positive outcomes are in focus. Managers such as Sharon make Kessler an excellent rehabilitative center due to exemplary leadership.
References
Rose, L. (2020). Team Development and Leadership Styles. Small Business – Chron.com.
Retrieved 24 May 2020, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/team-development-leadership-styles-25937.html.
Sullivan, E. (2017). Effective leadership and management in nursing (9th ed.). Pearson.
Sullivan, J. (2019). Four Basic Elements of Organizational Structure. Small Business –
Chron.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/four-basic-elements-organizational-structure-288.html.
West Orange (Northfield Ave) | Kessler Rehabilitation Center. Kesslerrehabilitationcenter.com.
(2020). Retrieved 24 May 2020, from https://www.kesslerrehabilitationcenter.com/locations/west-orange-northfield-ave/?id=04362.