Nursing Leadership Issues
Reflect on how you would create a safe environment in a healthcare setting by applying the 4 characteristics of a culture of safety. They are:
• Psychological safety. People know their concerns will be openly received and treated with respect.
One of the tenets of the total quality movement as expressed by W. Edward Deming is "Drive out fear" (Edward, 2012). The recommendation comes from a fundamental understanding of human nature: people do not like to call problem to the attention of their supervisors. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news, and in medical and healthcare settings this may be particularly true. Unsafe conditions can mean that patients are exposed to hazards or that employees are more likely to incur injury. In addition, nursing staff may occasionally find themselves in a position where a peer or another staff member are not following procedure. Not only is this an uncomfortable situation for all parties, it can lead to deteriorated esprit de corps.
• Active leadership. Leaders actively create an environment where all staff are comfortable expressing their concerns.
It is imperative that leaders communicate their receptivity to hearing about problems and to their dedication to preserving confidentiality, as appropriate. In the language of lawyers, when fear of retribution,...
This is why whistleblower protection exists ("Undercover Lawyer," 2010). In the best of circumstances, the concerns expressed by staff can serve as instructional opportunities for other staff members, as well. It is more typical than not for a concern to be shared by more than one staff person. But a leader can only learn how many staff members are concerned about an issue or a challenge if that leader is open to vertical communication. It is important to remember that active leadership is conveyed in a number of ways, not the least of which is interpersonal tone and authenticity. Periodic reminders that openness is considered to be fundamental to good teamwork help to establish an accepting climate.
• Transparency. Patient safety problems aren't swept under the rug. Team members have a high degree of confidence that the organization will learn from problems and use them to improve the system.
A leader or a team can choose a communication framework that fosters the development of solutions to problems. A key variable is that the focus is not on finding blame, but rather on solving problems so that they don't return -- or cause problems…
