AORN nurse leaders provide insight into management issues

AORN Journal, March, 2004 by Jean J. Hahn, K. Penelope Butz, Jeanette G. Gavin, Regina S. Mills, Clara J. Welter

What makes a good manager of perioperative services? This is a question that usually arises during interviews of applicants for a managerial position. Through experience, everyone develops ideas about good managers--the behaviors they exhibit, the way they inspire others, or the manner in which they handle workplace situations. No matter what their attributes, good managers bring a unique set of talents to their organizations, and those talents leave a lasting impression on their organizations and the people they manage.

There are no perfect managers, and there are no ideal set of management talents. (1) Research shows that great managers succeed because they have an acute awareness of their own talents; they understand how to use those talents intentionally to motivate and develop their direct reports; and they maximize others' performance by helping them identify their greatest talents and turn those talents into strengths. (1)

Although different people have different ideas about what makes a good manager, interviewing successful managers can provide some insight into good managers' unique attributes. Past recipients of AORN's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Nursing Management were interviewed to gain a better understanding of these attributes. The award has been presented since 1992 and recognizes an AORN member who demonstrates outstanding achievement in perioperative nursing management. Nominations may be made by a colleague or by the individual seeking the award, and recipients are selected by the AORN Awards Committee.

PROMOTE PATIENT CARE

Patient safety issues have been at the forefront not only of the medical media but also the consumer media. As this trend continues, managers will deal with increasing regulation to ensure patient safety, as well as the financial aspects associated with the issue.

Good managers are proponents of providing quality, safe patient care. "Patient safety is the greatest clinical issue facing managers," says Sherron Kurtz, RN, MSA, MSN, CNOR, award winner in 1996.

   We must assure that our staff members
   are delivering safe, effective, and
   appropriate nursing care to our
   patients. Patients expect the nurses
   caring for them to be competent.
   They have a right to expect that. (2)

RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF STAFF MEMBERS

No one accomplishes great tasks alone, and good managers recognize this. According to Janet Lewis, RN, MA, CNOR, who won the management award in 1999, leaders are mindful that

   no ... leader achieves their accomplishments
   alone or single handedly.
   The foundation of supportive, knowledgeable,
   and competent staff is relative
   to the degree of their success. (3)

Brenda McConley, RN, MS, MBA, CNOR, 1992 award recipient, says, "We need to remember that our staff members are our most valuable resources." (4)

BECOME INVOLVED

Another trait that many good managers possess is the willingness to get involved. Instead of waiting for someone to ask for their input, they offer it, confident in their abilities. "When asked to do [something], step up to the plate and say, 'I can do that' or say 'I can do that with a little guidance,'" says Kurtz. "Volunteering makes you visible and noticed. If you wait to be asked you will be bypassed. Participation is the key." (2)

BE VISIBLE

Managers have many job responsibilities that often can result in mounds of paperwork or time spent in numerous meetings. Cynthia Kuperus, RN, MBA, CNOR, CRNFA, recipient of the award in 2003, says,

   Stop and smell the roses. I believe we
   get too caught up in the process and
   forget to be part of the staff. I am visible
   everyday and try to first assist as
   much as possible. Staying in the rooms
   allows me to see and fix problems as
   they occur and lets the staff know I
   care and understand. Also sit down in
   the lounge with the staff and get to
   know them and them to know you. (5)

KEEP AN EYE ON THE FUTURE

Managers currently are dealing with the nursing shortage and other difficult issues, but they cannot allow themselves to get continually bogged down in the day-to-day activities of managing the department. Although routine, mundane job responsibilities cannot be ignored, managers must find time to focus on big-picture issues. "Stay current in the issues that are facing perioperative nursing," says 1995 award recipient Carla Willis, RN, MS, MBA.

   ... it is important that you maintain
   a view from 50,000 ft above so that
   you can forecast what's ahead and
   plan for the challenges you'll be facing
   down the road. It's one of the
   most valuable things you do to maintain
   your credibility, the stability
   and trust of your staff, and your
   organizational contributions. (6)

"Now more than ever, a perioperative leader must have a vision to show us the way out of the challenges our profession faces," says William Duffy, RN, BSN, MJ, CNOR, who received the management award in 1998.

   A leader who can open themselves up
   to using the skills of others and the
   resources around them, a leader who
   can get a group of people to unite
   their energies and skills to tackle a
   problem. If a leader can do this, the
   result is a dedicated team that is
   loyal and unstoppable. (7)