I was able to spend two shifts at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center "shadowing" the house supervisors. I learned a lot about their role in the hospital. To blog about my experience I am going to address each course objective for NURS 4405 and how I met those in my clinical experience at UVRMC.
1 - Apply concepts and theories of leadership, management and power as a foundation for nursing organizations.
I was able to see the concepts and theories that we have discussed in class in play at the hospital. In my 24 hours spent at the hospital I was able to follow three different house supervisors. Each had their own way of leading and managing. I would not say one was better then another, but all had their own strengths. I believe personality plays a huge role in how we manage.
2 - Investigate leadership and management competencies essential to a successful organization.
Like I said, I was able to see how managers and leaders work together at UVRMC to make it a successful hospital. From the staff nurse level, to the charge nurse, up through administration, there are certain leadership and management skills needed to help accomplish the goal of providing safe care to the patient.
3 - Evaluate effectiveness of cost and quality of care with consideration of budgetary constraints.
I wasn't able to really observe the budget side of UVRMC, but in my budget interview that I posted about earlier, I was able to see how budgets and constraints work into running a business.
4 - Analyze policies and procedures used in management of a nursing unit for providing optimum care.
Through my two shifts at UVRMC, I was able to see the policies and procedures that UVRMC follows throughout the day. The house supervisors are required to round to check up on the different floors. Certain things require the house supervisor to respond to for example a hard IV, Code, etc.. I was able to witness a charge nurse meeting where scheduling was discussed and planned for the next day.
5 - Examine principles of risk management and assisting employees with special needs.
I was able to witness all three house supervisors interact with many of the employees. Some of those employees did have special needs, and the house supervisors responded and communicated appropriately with these employees. Risk management is a big issue with hospitals. Everything that the house supervisor role includes in some way relates back to risk management. Adequate staffing, assisting in IVs, attending Codes, etc... all are part of risk management.
6 - Explore leadership and management competencies which contribute to optimal organizational climate and culture.
This objective seems similar to Number 2: Investigate leadership and management competencies essential to a successful organization. I guess one of the ways that they differ is how it leads to optimal organizational climate and culture. Without the house supervisor, especially at night, there would not be anyone representing administration. It is important to have a chain of command to keep the hospital running smoothly and have any complaints, issues, etc... handled in an organized fashion.
7 - Develop individual nursing philosophy related to leadership and management.
I am still working on developing my own individual nursing philosophy regarding leadership and management. I was able to witness how three different house supervisors manage and lead and was able to learn a lot about different styles. Some things I would use and other things I would not use. It was a good way for me to witness leadership styles in action.
8 - Examine leadership and management principles in a variety of health care systems.
I was able to examine leadership and management principles on the unit level up through administration. It was exciting to see how important leaders are on each level.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Coaching: An Essential Skill for Nurses (6 Hours)
To wrap up my 46 hours of clinical time for NURS 4405, I decided to take a 6 hour course on coaching. Coaching is an interesting topic. It is a specific leadership technique that nurses need to know. The objectives of this course were to:
"Identify the importance and value of coaching.
Distinguish coaching from mentoring, therapy, precepting and training.
Identify the basic components and the purposes of a coaching contract.
Create strategies for helping staff embrace change.
Describe the characteristics of a great coach.
Identify the ways in which coaching affects the bottom line as well as quality of care"
The idea of coaching is a very interesting one. The course presented statistics that showed companies that incorporated coaching into their management had an increase in productivity, quality, organizational strength, customer service, etc.. Coaching is defined as "a sustained learning strategy to help people enhance their skills, change their perspectives, behave differently and achieve their goals." People who coach need to have a certain set of skills. These skills and attributes include listening, confident, trustworthy and intelligent. Coaches will have barriers to overcome in order to reach their goals. One technique to achieve the unit's overall goal is to set interim goals or mini goals to reach along the way. Coaches offer encouragement and advice to support the staff on their way to the goal. Coaches are leaders who guide the team through the process. This course gave some great advice for goal setting including prioritizing and the importance of commitment. It also gave tips on handling resistance. One of the greatest tips it gave was for nurses to anticipate resistance. It is much better to be proactive then reactive in the face of resistance. The last chapter of this course talked about the leadership qualities found in a coach. I loved this quote, "Two of the leadership competencies that effective coach/managers will display are “modeling the way” and “encouraging the heart.” " If a coach can follow those competencies, then the rest will fall into place.
Overall this course was great! I learned a lot about leadership skills needed in coaching. This clinical experience has been great as I have gained knowledge about what it takes to be a leader in nursing. These CE credits were a great resource for me to come up with my 46 hours of clinical time. I am motivated and inspired to develop my own leadership skills after taking these classes.
"Identify the importance and value of coaching.
Distinguish coaching from mentoring, therapy, precepting and training.
Identify the basic components and the purposes of a coaching contract.
Create strategies for helping staff embrace change.
Describe the characteristics of a great coach.
Identify the ways in which coaching affects the bottom line as well as quality of care"
The idea of coaching is a very interesting one. The course presented statistics that showed companies that incorporated coaching into their management had an increase in productivity, quality, organizational strength, customer service, etc.. Coaching is defined as "a sustained learning strategy to help people enhance their skills, change their perspectives, behave differently and achieve their goals." People who coach need to have a certain set of skills. These skills and attributes include listening, confident, trustworthy and intelligent. Coaches will have barriers to overcome in order to reach their goals. One technique to achieve the unit's overall goal is to set interim goals or mini goals to reach along the way. Coaches offer encouragement and advice to support the staff on their way to the goal. Coaches are leaders who guide the team through the process. This course gave some great advice for goal setting including prioritizing and the importance of commitment. It also gave tips on handling resistance. One of the greatest tips it gave was for nurses to anticipate resistance. It is much better to be proactive then reactive in the face of resistance. The last chapter of this course talked about the leadership qualities found in a coach. I loved this quote, "Two of the leadership competencies that effective coach/managers will display are “modeling the way” and “encouraging the heart.” " If a coach can follow those competencies, then the rest will fall into place.
Overall this course was great! I learned a lot about leadership skills needed in coaching. This clinical experience has been great as I have gained knowledge about what it takes to be a leader in nursing. These CE credits were a great resource for me to come up with my 46 hours of clinical time. I am motivated and inspired to develop my own leadership skills after taking these classes.
Learning to Lead: From Staff Nurse to Charge Nurse (5 Hours)
I decided to take a bit of a longer course that was very specific to nurse leadership. This course took 5 hours to complete. The purpose of the course was "to inform nurses about the key elements of management, focusing particularly on skills that enable nurses to coordinate resources and achieve desired outcomes in patient care settings. These resources may be staff, technological or financial in nature. After studying the information presented here, you will be able to -
1. Describe key aspects of the environment in which nurses assume management roles and functions, and how the climate influences care giving and management practices.
2. Depict the transitions that nurses make—either temporarily or permanently—from the role of caregiver to the role of manager.
3. Identify supervisory practices that promote good performance, workforce commitment and professional satisfaction.
4. Identify key skills that nurses will want to develop to excel as managers—whether they are managers for the shift or managers in full-time management positions.
5. Describe important interpersonal and coaching skills such as communication, delegation and feedback that promote mutual respect and solid teamwork.
6. Discuss ways to evaluate outcomes at the end of your shift.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of how to control costs on your unit."
One of the first things this course explored was the importance of a nurse manager understanding the mission and values of the company. Three charge nurses' experiences were then shown as they took on the role of a charge nurse. The role of a charge nurse includes planning, organizing, critical thinking, conflict management, and relationship management. The next charge nurse's experience focused on the role a charge nurse plays as a coach and communicator. A coach is different then a boss in that a coach lifts and supports instead of drives and pushes. Essential skills for a charge nurse to have include:
"Open lines of communication between staff and supervisory nurses
Respect and credibility among team members
Clear statements demonstrating desired outcomes and processes for achieving them
Good listening skills among all parties to a given communication
Well-articulated requests, responses, statements and questions that convey
important information to both parties."
As part of communication, nurses need to be able to listen to those they manager.
The next part of the course talked about delegation and teamwork. Both are essential skills for a successful charge nurse to have. Delegation and teamwork are needed to reach the goals of the unit. The authors of the course also discussed evaluation. Much like the nursing process, evaluation is important in leading a unit. Evaluation can help the charge nurse identify needs in the unit.
Overall this course was very educational. It took me through the steps that are required for a staff nurse to make the transition to the role of a charge nurse. The leadership skills discussed were explored in much detail.
1. Describe key aspects of the environment in which nurses assume management roles and functions, and how the climate influences care giving and management practices.
2. Depict the transitions that nurses make—either temporarily or permanently—from the role of caregiver to the role of manager.
3. Identify supervisory practices that promote good performance, workforce commitment and professional satisfaction.
4. Identify key skills that nurses will want to develop to excel as managers—whether they are managers for the shift or managers in full-time management positions.
5. Describe important interpersonal and coaching skills such as communication, delegation and feedback that promote mutual respect and solid teamwork.
6. Discuss ways to evaluate outcomes at the end of your shift.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of how to control costs on your unit."
One of the first things this course explored was the importance of a nurse manager understanding the mission and values of the company. Three charge nurses' experiences were then shown as they took on the role of a charge nurse. The role of a charge nurse includes planning, organizing, critical thinking, conflict management, and relationship management. The next charge nurse's experience focused on the role a charge nurse plays as a coach and communicator. A coach is different then a boss in that a coach lifts and supports instead of drives and pushes. Essential skills for a charge nurse to have include:
"Open lines of communication between staff and supervisory nurses
Respect and credibility among team members
Clear statements demonstrating desired outcomes and processes for achieving them
Good listening skills among all parties to a given communication
Well-articulated requests, responses, statements and questions that convey
important information to both parties."
As part of communication, nurses need to be able to listen to those they manager.
The next part of the course talked about delegation and teamwork. Both are essential skills for a successful charge nurse to have. Delegation and teamwork are needed to reach the goals of the unit. The authors of the course also discussed evaluation. Much like the nursing process, evaluation is important in leading a unit. Evaluation can help the charge nurse identify needs in the unit.
Overall this course was very educational. It took me through the steps that are required for a staff nurse to make the transition to the role of a charge nurse. The leadership skills discussed were explored in much detail.
Partnership Making the Most of Mentoring (1 Hour)
This next course that I took for CE credit focused on mentoring. Mentorship is directly related to leadership skills in nursing. In order to be an effective mentor, the nurse must have leadership skills. The definition of a mentor is, "Mentoring involves two parties and occurs when the senior person in terms of maturity and experience — the mentor — provides information, advice, and emotional support for the junior person — the mentee or protégé." The authors of this course discussed how any senior leader can be a mentor to another. They best mentors are those with experience and leadership skills. According to the course, the average mentorship relationship is 5-10 years. This is a very long term relationship, so mentors need to be chosen wisely. Some tips for mentors and mentee are:
Good communication skills
Insight, authenticity, and honesty
A strong sense of trust and mutual respect
The ability to be flexible and caring
Humility, an insatiable curiosity, and the courage to take risk
Each of these qualities will enhance the mentorship relationship. This course was very educational to me on the importance of mentors in nursing. Mentors are another example of the importance of developing leadership skills in the health care setting.
Good communication skills
Insight, authenticity, and honesty
A strong sense of trust and mutual respect
The ability to be flexible and caring
Humility, an insatiable curiosity, and the courage to take risk
Each of these qualities will enhance the mentorship relationship. This course was very educational to me on the importance of mentors in nursing. Mentors are another example of the importance of developing leadership skills in the health care setting.
Precepting The Chance to Shape Nursing’s Future (1 Hour)
I decided to take another class on precepting. Like I said in a previous blog post about another precepting class, precepting is very relevant to me as I am about to being a preceptor experience for my new job. "Preceptors are role models for professionalism and best practices in the clinical setting, socializing nurses into the work group, educating and orienting." Preceptors are leaders for the new grad nurse as they make a transition from new grad to bedside nurse. In this course, the authors tried to emphasize that to be a good preceptor you must be a good leader. This course discussed techniques and tips for preceptors to use while precepting an new nurse. They ended with this quote, "Preceptors have an ability to take the newest nurses, “diamonds in the rough,” and go beyond teaching them the ropes to helping them discover their self-identity and confidence to deliver outstanding patient care. Preceptors, by their power and leadership, can create a caring environment in which nurses can grow and thrive, contributing to that next generation of professional excellence." I love that quote! I hope to be lucky enough to have a good preceptor in my upcoming experience and hopefully someday utilize my experience and leadership skills to act as a preceptor.
Shared Governance What It Can Mean for Nurses (1 Hour)
I decided to take this class because it directly relates to nursing leadership. This class was just a basic overview of what shared governance means for nurses. The definition of shared governance is as follows, "Shared governance is an organizational model that provides a structure for shared decision-making among professionals about practice and clinical outcomes." There are four aspects to shared governance in the health care setting. These include practice, quality, learning and generating new knowledge. Shared governance allows nurses to develop their leadership potential because they become stakeholders under shared governance. Their work environment encourages the nurses to get involved and share ideas to make positive changes in their workplace. This course identified three ways that healthcare facilities could fail at shared governance.
1. Establishing shared governance only in a single department or an isolated “pilot” unit
2. Fostering competition rather than collaboration among units and disciplines
3. Tolerating nurse leadership at executive or middle management levels that fails to support shared governance
It's quite obvious why each of these scenarios could lead to failed shared governance. The course on the flip side identified three ways organizations can succeed at shared governance.
1. Engage frontline staff and leadership in creating a plan for a shared governance model and bylaws regarding nursing practice, quality and competence.
2. Build relationships to support shared governance at the unit level, including leadership and administrative relationships, interprofessional and interdisciplinary team members and collaboration and collegiality
3. Establish unit-level councils and bylaws based on the overall strategic plan for organizational shared governance.
By following these three rules, organizations can use shared governance and benefit from it. This course was a really informative course. I learned a lot about shared governance and it is something I would like to know more about. It seems to me, that shared governance is an excellent way to structure an organization and develop leadership skills in all employees.
1. Establishing shared governance only in a single department or an isolated “pilot” unit
2. Fostering competition rather than collaboration among units and disciplines
3. Tolerating nurse leadership at executive or middle management levels that fails to support shared governance
It's quite obvious why each of these scenarios could lead to failed shared governance. The course on the flip side identified three ways organizations can succeed at shared governance.
1. Engage frontline staff and leadership in creating a plan for a shared governance model and bylaws regarding nursing practice, quality and competence.
2. Build relationships to support shared governance at the unit level, including leadership and administrative relationships, interprofessional and interdisciplinary team members and collaboration and collegiality
3. Establish unit-level councils and bylaws based on the overall strategic plan for organizational shared governance.
By following these three rules, organizations can use shared governance and benefit from it. This course was a really informative course. I learned a lot about shared governance and it is something I would like to know more about. It seems to me, that shared governance is an excellent way to structure an organization and develop leadership skills in all employees.
Spread Your Wings: RNs Have What It Takes To Be Effective Leaders (1 Hour)
"Spread Your Wings: RNs Have What It Takes To Be Effective Leaders" The title of this course drew my interest. It is the type of course that fits exactly with my nursing leadership class. This course talked a lot about how nurses can be leaders even on the staff nurse level. Five skills that staff nurse leaders need are:
Becoming future-oriented
Seeing the “big picture”
Communicating persuasively
Viewing change as an opportunity
Being proactive rather than reactive
My favorite skill that is listed is seeing the big picture. As nurses we tend to have so much going on we lose sight of the big picture. By understanding the reasons behind change, nurses can effectively lead others to overcome the change or obstacle. I also liked the idea of being proactive rather than reactive. This is so important for nurses to understand. In order to get something done, nurses need to be proactive. I really loved this quote "As new graduates, we all begin our nursing careers in a "followership" position. With time and experience, this should change. However, many nurses depend on their nursing administrators to provide all the leadership that the nursing component needs in an organization. Yet this model does not always provide the most effective leadership. Some of the most powerful leaders have no position of authority in an organization, but are able to point the way to both small and large improvements in patient service delivery." As a new graduate I have often felt I have no part in learning about leadership. But it is important for me to understand that even as a new grad I can become a leader.
Becoming future-oriented
Seeing the “big picture”
Communicating persuasively
Viewing change as an opportunity
Being proactive rather than reactive
My favorite skill that is listed is seeing the big picture. As nurses we tend to have so much going on we lose sight of the big picture. By understanding the reasons behind change, nurses can effectively lead others to overcome the change or obstacle. I also liked the idea of being proactive rather than reactive. This is so important for nurses to understand. In order to get something done, nurses need to be proactive. I really loved this quote "As new graduates, we all begin our nursing careers in a "followership" position. With time and experience, this should change. However, many nurses depend on their nursing administrators to provide all the leadership that the nursing component needs in an organization. Yet this model does not always provide the most effective leadership. Some of the most powerful leaders have no position of authority in an organization, but are able to point the way to both small and large improvements in patient service delivery." As a new graduate I have often felt I have no part in learning about leadership. But it is important for me to understand that even as a new grad I can become a leader.
Staying Cool Under Fire: How Well Do You Communicate? (1 Hour)
We have talked a lot about communication styles in our leadership class. We have discussed how there are differences even between men and women on how they lead and that may be because of different communication styles. Understanding communication styles is important for a nurse to effectively lead her team. This course discussed barriers to effective communication and tools to better communication. There were little clinical vignettes that gave examples of excellent communication and poor communication. I took away from this class that everyone needs to be continually working on improving their communication skills. Communication is essential for a nurse to be an effective leader.
Surviving and Thriving with Conflict on the Job (1 Hour)
One of the most important skills a leader can have is knowing how to deal with conflict. Nurse leaders are no exception to that rule. Conflict will occur in all healthcare facilities. Nurse leaders need to know how to resolve that conflict and move on. This course stated, "Most organizational conflict in healthcare organizations emerges at the interpersonal and intergroup levels. Major sources include:
Divergent management and staff perspectives
Competition for limited resources, such as staff, space, equipment and funds
Difficulties arising from interdependence of work activities
Differences in values and goals among work groups"
I have seen all four sources of conflict in my clinical experiences. There are different techniques to overcome conflict. Some techniques work positively and other techniques work negatively. It is important for the nurse leader to approach each conflict individually and use the technique that meets the need of that problem best. "Whatever strategy is used, successful conflict resolution starts by identifying the problem and the desired behavior or outcome and then confronting the conflict. " This course gave me some good tips with dealing with conflict in my work place. Even though, I am not in a management position, I have learned some skills that I can apply when I am facing conflict.
Divergent management and staff perspectives
Competition for limited resources, such as staff, space, equipment and funds
Difficulties arising from interdependence of work activities
Differences in values and goals among work groups"
I have seen all four sources of conflict in my clinical experiences. There are different techniques to overcome conflict. Some techniques work positively and other techniques work negatively. It is important for the nurse leader to approach each conflict individually and use the technique that meets the need of that problem best. "Whatever strategy is used, successful conflict resolution starts by identifying the problem and the desired behavior or outcome and then confronting the conflict. " This course gave me some good tips with dealing with conflict in my work place. Even though, I am not in a management position, I have learned some skills that I can apply when I am facing conflict.
The "Golden Rules" for Preceptors and Preceptees (1 Hour)
This CE course really interested me because I am about to embark in a preceptorship experience at my new job. I will be on the preceptee side of the relationship, but this class helped me to prepare for the day that I will be on the preceptor side. A preceptor is a great example of leadership in nursing. Fortune magazine stated "The single best predictor of overall excellence is a company's ability to attract, motivate and retain talented people." This is where preceptors come into play. Having a strong orientation program and preceptors in place can ensure new employees have the training and skill needed to perform the job well. This course talked about the most basic golden rule and how it applies to preceptors. Preceptors and preceptees need to treat each other how they would like to be treated in order to create an environment of learning and growth. An important part of this course talked about how one preceptor may not be the best preceptor for all and just because someone is a good employee does not mean they are a good preceptor. Preceptors require a specific set of leadership skills in order to lead and train the new nurse. I learned a lot from this course and am excited to one day become the preceptor and help in the transition from new nurse to competent nurse.
The Transformational Power of Leading With Head, Heart, Hands, and Habits (1 Hour)
This course really goes along with my nursing leadership class. It discussed a lot about transformational leadership. I hold to the belief that leaders are not born but made. The authors of this course stated "Competence in leadership develops over time and through mentorships that focus on the sociopolitical tasks and aspects of leading and managing." I really like that. I think leadership really does develop over time as the nurse gains more experience. Relationships are also key to successful leadership skills. The authors of this course then went on to describe how leaders can be transformed internally through there head and heart and externally through their hands and habits. Leaders are motivated with their "heart". Their head helps them see different perspectives. The hands represent public leadership behaviors. There were some great quotes used in this webinar. My favorite came from Aristotle. He said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." I love that quote! This course motivated me to always practice good habits and to be continually learning and developing my leadership potential.
Use Your Power! Structural Empowerment and Nursing (1 Hour)
This course was a webinar put on by Kaplan. The course's objective was to "develop an understanding of structural empowerment for nurses specific to descriptions, emerging trends, and examples of supporting activities and outcomes." The course began by talking about the traditional structure in nursing. The traditional structure includes power and authority at the top of the triangle relying on communication and roles. Other structural patterns were then discussed. Technology is changing how nursing is structured. There are some assumptions that the course went over when it comes to nursing power.
" 1. Power rests where the knowledge is; decisions are made by knowledge holders and key stakeholders
2. Nursing is the voice for nursing
3. The patient care delivery model reflects the mission, vision and values of the organization
4. Principles for practice drive the work of caregivers; policies are minimized"
Understanding the assumptions of power and how communication and roles come into play, is important for nurses to understand the power they have. Nurses have different kinds of power. Probably the most valuable power nurses have is expert power. Nurses receive this power through the experience they have at the bedside. Understanding the power nurses have can help nurses develop their leadership potential.
" 1. Power rests where the knowledge is; decisions are made by knowledge holders and key stakeholders
2. Nursing is the voice for nursing
3. The patient care delivery model reflects the mission, vision and values of the organization
4. Principles for practice drive the work of caregivers; policies are minimized"
Understanding the assumptions of power and how communication and roles come into play, is important for nurses to understand the power they have. Nurses have different kinds of power. Probably the most valuable power nurses have is expert power. Nurses receive this power through the experience they have at the bedside. Understanding the power nurses have can help nurses develop their leadership potential.
Friday, March 9, 2012
UVU Nursing Research Conference (3 Hours)
The keynote speaker at the UVU Nursing Research Conference was Dr. Lauren Clark who is a professor of nursing at the University of Utah. She discussed how research can break down barriers to humanized care. According to Dr. Clark, the three barriers to humanized care are perverse policies, technophilia, and biases by nurses. Research helps nurses overcome these barriers. She gave examples of three works that address biases by nurses. These works included Violence & Hope, The Hot Spotters, and Cutting for Stone. This keynote address made me excited about nursing research and how it can humanize the care I give to my patients.
The first breakout session I attended was presented by Dianne McAdams-Jones, EdD, RN. She discussed the benefits of using a human simulator in a nursing program. A human simulator was used in the presentation. Different scenarios were presented using the human simulator. The human simulator was able to talk, sweat, bleed, increase heart rate, and a multitude of other performances. This session was a very informative class on how human simulators can function as an alternative to live patients for nursing students. This is beneficial, because no harm can be brought upon the human simulator.
The last breakout session I attended was presented by Dale Maughan, PhD, RN. He presented preliminary findings of Utah Valley University’s use of the admissions interviews as an admission factor to the undergraduate nursing program. At this point, the first cohort of nurses to have gone through the admission’s interviews are still in their fourth semester. It is unknown whether the use of the interviews will increase NCLEX pass rates. Different statistics were presented that showed that the interview process did effect who was accepted into the program. Some students who would have been accepted to the program without the interview process, were not accepted because of interview performance. The purpose of the interview process, according to Dale, is to allow the admissions committee a look at the caring and communicating skills the applicants possess. This interview process has been deemed beneficial and changed the admissions process from applicants just being a number on a spreadsheet. Faculty are now able to get to know applicants and put faces to names during the application process.
The first breakout session I attended was presented by Dianne McAdams-Jones, EdD, RN. She discussed the benefits of using a human simulator in a nursing program. A human simulator was used in the presentation. Different scenarios were presented using the human simulator. The human simulator was able to talk, sweat, bleed, increase heart rate, and a multitude of other performances. This session was a very informative class on how human simulators can function as an alternative to live patients for nursing students. This is beneficial, because no harm can be brought upon the human simulator.
The last breakout session I attended was presented by Dale Maughan, PhD, RN. He presented preliminary findings of Utah Valley University’s use of the admissions interviews as an admission factor to the undergraduate nursing program. At this point, the first cohort of nurses to have gone through the admission’s interviews are still in their fourth semester. It is unknown whether the use of the interviews will increase NCLEX pass rates. Different statistics were presented that showed that the interview process did effect who was accepted into the program. Some students who would have been accepted to the program without the interview process, were not accepted because of interview performance. The purpose of the interview process, according to Dale, is to allow the admissions committee a look at the caring and communicating skills the applicants possess. This interview process has been deemed beneficial and changed the admissions process from applicants just being a number on a spreadsheet. Faculty are now able to get to know applicants and put faces to names during the application process.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Budget Interview
I interviewed Wendy who is in charge of the budget at a local fast food restaurant. This restaurant is a fast food chain. I prepared the following questions and have listed her response next to each question.
1. How often do you review your budget? Monthly basis, weekly basis,
yearly basis? and who all is involved in the budget review?
The budget at this company is reviewed bimonthly. The budget is complex, because it involves food product, wages, building utilities, etc... Food orders are made every week and wages are paid bimonthly. Because Wendy is also part-owner in this company, she reviews the budget sometimes on a daily basis as sales are evaluated. The people involved in the budget review is Wendy and her husband, who is also part owner, and the store manager.
2. If you are over budget, what is cut first?
Obviously, with the fast food industry, food product is what is sold. So food orders can not be cut first. The first thing to get cut is "labor". First to go, is all overtime. Strict schedules are created to avoid having to pay out any overtime to employees.
3. How do you determine how much is alloted to employee pay, product, etc?
Because this company is part of a franchise agreement, much of the budget is set up standardized by the company. There is wiggle room depending on sales and the need of the store. Collaboration between partners and the store manager are used to help create the budget.
4. What is the consistent "problem" area of your budget? What
consistently is causing your business to go over budget?
This store just opened up about two months ago. The consistent problem this early on has been overtime. A lot of work was needed to get this restaurant open. Many of the employees were required to work overtime in order to accomplish a strong opening. In the future, the plan is to cut overtime so as not to go over budget.
5. How do you communicate changes in the budget to your employees and staff?
The store manager is in charge of communicating changes in the budget to employees. The only effect the employees will feel is the cut in hours. The store manager is in charge of writing schedules and contacting employees to discuss their individual schedule and hours.
This budget interview was a very good experience for me. I was able to sit down with an owner of a restaurant and learn from a non-healthcare perspective the importance of a budget. It is amazing to me how all companies depend on a budget. Without a budget, the company would ultimately fail. There needs to be a plan and specific numbers for the company to be successful at making money. Even though this restaurant is relatively new, I believe that they have a good idea of how to budget their company.
1. How often do you review your budget? Monthly basis, weekly basis,
yearly basis? and who all is involved in the budget review?
The budget at this company is reviewed bimonthly. The budget is complex, because it involves food product, wages, building utilities, etc... Food orders are made every week and wages are paid bimonthly. Because Wendy is also part-owner in this company, she reviews the budget sometimes on a daily basis as sales are evaluated. The people involved in the budget review is Wendy and her husband, who is also part owner, and the store manager.
2. If you are over budget, what is cut first?
Obviously, with the fast food industry, food product is what is sold. So food orders can not be cut first. The first thing to get cut is "labor". First to go, is all overtime. Strict schedules are created to avoid having to pay out any overtime to employees.
3. How do you determine how much is alloted to employee pay, product, etc?
Because this company is part of a franchise agreement, much of the budget is set up standardized by the company. There is wiggle room depending on sales and the need of the store. Collaboration between partners and the store manager are used to help create the budget.
4. What is the consistent "problem" area of your budget? What
consistently is causing your business to go over budget?
This store just opened up about two months ago. The consistent problem this early on has been overtime. A lot of work was needed to get this restaurant open. Many of the employees were required to work overtime in order to accomplish a strong opening. In the future, the plan is to cut overtime so as not to go over budget.
5. How do you communicate changes in the budget to your employees and staff?
The store manager is in charge of communicating changes in the budget to employees. The only effect the employees will feel is the cut in hours. The store manager is in charge of writing schedules and contacting employees to discuss their individual schedule and hours.
This budget interview was a very good experience for me. I was able to sit down with an owner of a restaurant and learn from a non-healthcare perspective the importance of a budget. It is amazing to me how all companies depend on a budget. Without a budget, the company would ultimately fail. There needs to be a plan and specific numbers for the company to be successful at making money. Even though this restaurant is relatively new, I believe that they have a good idea of how to budget their company.
Budget Interview Questions
1. How often do you review your budget? Monthly basis, weekly basis,
yearly basis? and who all is involved in the budget review?
2. If you are over budget, what is cut first?
3. How do you determine how much is alloted to employee pay, product, etc?
4. What is the consistent "problem" area of your budget? What
consistently is causing your business to go over budget?
5. How do you communicate changes in the budget to your employees and staff?
yearly basis? and who all is involved in the budget review?
2. If you are over budget, what is cut first?
3. How do you determine how much is alloted to employee pay, product, etc?
4. What is the consistent "problem" area of your budget? What
consistently is causing your business to go over budget?
5. How do you communicate changes in the budget to your employees and staff?
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