Reference no: EM133334945

Charles is a nursing supervisor at a surgical unit of a private health care center. Currently, he is chairing a project committee that is planning the implementation of an evidence-based pain management protocol across different departments of the center. This committee includes four other members: Sandra, the head nurse of the emergency department; Samuzein, nursing clinical supervisor at the medical department; Rose, charge nurse at the surgical department; and Joe, a senior physician at the surgical department. The committee is in the planning phase and just had their budget planning meeting last week. During that meeting, Charles proposed dedicating a certain percentage of the budget toward incentives and financial rewards for super-users and those who volunteer to be on a department-level project committee, a committee that will promote the implementation at a departmental level. When asked to vote on this suggestion, two of committee members, Sandra and Samuzein, voted "yes" while Rose abstained, and Joe voted "no." Joe was very opinionated in his responses, stating "This is too much money to spend on nurses to do their job! I also continue to think that there is no need for department-level committees." Joe has previously opposed the idea of department-level committees. Even though Charles and other committee members tried to explain that the involvement of these committees in the implementation process will enhance the team members' engagement, Joe continued to reject this idea as he stated in another meeting, "I don't think that making the nurses follow this one-page pain-management algorithm needs this much involvement of nurses and committees." "All nurses have to follow it and those who don't should be reprimanded" Joe added. Charles has noticed, through multiple committee meetings, that whenever Joe votes against a proposed idea, Rose either abstains or votes against that same idea. One night, Rose is working, and Charles is the clinical supervisor of that shift. While having dinner in the breakroom, Charles initiates a collegial discussion regarding ideas that may enhance team members' engagement. Rose becomes emotional and starts crying. "I want to vote for what I believe is the best for this committee, but I am unable to do so." Charles asks Rose to finish her dinner and come talk to him at his office when she is ready to. Rose meets with Charles and shares with him that she feels intimidated by Joe, considering the fact that Joe is a senior physician at her department. "He once told me that the last person who said 'no' to him lost their job." Charles thanks Rose for her honesty and advises her to do what is best for her department and to discuss this concern with her department chair to plan for counseling regarding this matter.

1. What are the major conflicts in this case

2. If you were the chair of this committee, what actions would you take to improve the work dynamic of this committee

3. What alternative direction would you propose that Charles take

4. You are the direct supervisor of Rose and will be meeting with Charles soon to discuss Rose's concerns and involvement in the pain-management committee. What are Rose's main issues, and what possible solutions would you propose to resolve them

5. What should be done about Joe? How might his behavior and issues be addressed

6. Charles has tried to manage the conflicts in this case; however, the conflicts continue to exist. Charles decides to report the case to the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). He needs to develop a management plan detailing the proposed solutions to the conflict and what actions might be taken. What solutions should be proposed

- Organization and citations

Buchbinder, Sharon B., et al. Introduction to Health Care Management, Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, 2019.