Reflective Journal - Week 16

The last week of class......I have been waiting for this day for a long time!!!  Going to school has always been something that I enjoy, but this is the first time I have done school with kids.  This experience helps me appreciate all the years of school I was able to complete before kids.  Combining kids and school is no joke!  But I did it!! YAY!!!!!!!!

This leadership class has good for me.  It has helped me evaluate myself on a regular basis, and reflect upon what kind of leader I am and more importantly what kind of leader I want to be.  I feel that this reflection for me has been good.  It can be easy to become complacent at work...and in a way I feel I have become slightly complacent.  But like I was once told by a certain instructor :)  there is a time and place for everything.  For the last 7 years my focus has been my kids.  Now that my husband and I are done having kids--even though we still need to raise the rascals:), our focus can change slightly.  This for me is taking a step back and thinking what I want out of my career over the next 10 years.  When I graduated I remember being asked, "where do you want to be in 10 years?" and magically I am not that far away from my 10 year mark as a nurse.  Am I where I wanted to be?  Am I ok with where I am in my career?  Luckily my answer to those questions is...YES!

Reflective Journal - Week 15

We are almost done!!!  After putting this off for 9 years I am so excited to be done with my BSN!  This week in leadership I was once again educated on something I never thought I would do.  The Bargaining assignment was very interesting and I have a new found appreciation for those who work within unions.  While working on the group exam due next week it was interesting reading different posts about nursing unions in Utah.  People have very strong feelings about unions for and against, and the views were interesting to read.  My experience and exposure to unions is very negative.  When my family lived in California my dad ran an exporting terminal in Long Beach.  The long shoremen union wanted my dad's employees to join the union and started approaching them.  My dad wanted his employees to make this decision with all the information and tried to help them understand the benefits of both being with the union as well as not.  Because he got involved and tried to help his employees the union people starting making threats to him and our family.  One morning I woke up for school and went outside to find all the windows in my dads SUV had been smashed in.  This may or may not have been associated with the union threats, but it sure felt like it.  I know unions aren't bad, and this assignment helped me see unions from a new light.  It would be interesting to see how our work environment would change if a nursing union came to Utah.

The best part of the week was to finally complete my Professional Portfolio.  This project is unlike anything I have done in my past.  I have done resumes, and 5-year plans, but I have never compiled all the information together into a portfolio.  Now that it is done my feelings about what I have done with my career to this point is interesting.  Putting everything down on paper has been a good eye-opener for me.

Reflective Journal - Week 14

Conflict....is this a topic that anyone likes to discuss?  I don't know if anyone enjoys being in a conflict or talking about conflict.  However, it is something we have all been a part of, and will continue to be a part of--it just part of life.  Looking at conflict is an interesting thing, but I feel that if we are more aware of how to solve a problem we can do better in times of conflict.  When in situations of conflict it is also important to understand your immediate reactions, and know if these reactions are helpful or hurtful to the situation.  By understanding this information a person can conduct themselves better in times of conflict and therefore work toward a solution.

In my place of work I don't see conflict too often.  But there are some individuals that I can think of that deal with conflict better than others.  To be a good leader in my mind is to deal with conflict in a productive way.  This doesn't mean that conflict resolution will be easy, or painless, but will end with a resolution that solves the problem that works for the best of the unit.  A manager tells people how to resolve the problem, but a leader helps the people solve the problem.  A manager yells and uses aggressive communication, a leader uses assertive communication.  A leader when in conflict follows their own advice.

Reflective Journal - Week 13

What a busy week....must be close to the end!  This week's assignments have been fun, and have helped me look at leadership in a new way.  Strategic planning is not an area I feel comfortable in, but feel I understand it a little better.  Doing the group project was interesting, you could tell where each of us worked and had an interest in.  I think that this probably comes into play in real life situations, a person's background can influence where they see need.  But in a management position a person would have to change that way of thinking and make decisions that are in the best interest for the whole hospital or corporation.

I am excited to see what changes UVU makes in the future, with a MSN and maybe eventually further.  The reason I chose to go to UVU was becuase all my information was already at that school. I didn't have to worry about transferring transcripts or wondering if certain classes would apply to a certain area.  I think that with UVU working toward MSN level education there would be other nurses like me.  There is a large number of people who graduate from UVU and I believe this would help give them a patient base.  This is an exciting change!  I was a student when UVU became a university that was exciting.  I have really enjoyed my time at UVU and with this program is complete I will have 3 degrees from UVU, all of which I am very proud of.  What a great school, doing such great things!

Reflective Journal - Week 12

This week as we talked about change I tried to look at my life, my personality, and my environment and consider what changes I could make to "mix things up".  In doing so I was slightly disappointed in myself at how much my life is mundane and without much change from day to day.  I don't dislike change, but I find it takes effort to make regular changes in routine and daily life.  So--I tried to make changes to see what happened.  I drove home from work in a different way, which took a lot of effort since I had been awake for 24 hours.  I went with my husband to a new restaurant we have never tried, I was pleasantly surprised.  I tried a new recipe for dinner, I enjoyed it as did my husband, but my kids were not as pleased.  Recalling these little changes in my life brings a smile to my face.  I like mixing things up, especially because it makes people (my kids) question me, wondering why I am doing something.  I think I need to try this more in the future to keep everyone on their toes.  If nothing else it is very entertaining!

Reflective Journal - Week 10

I really enjoyed this week assignments, especially the discussion with my teammates regarding our future in nursing and our ultimate career goal.  It was a good reminder for me of how different we all are.  I am glad that some of my teammates have the goal of becoming a unit nurse manager--since that is a job I never want.  Mostly because it seems difficult, and filled with a lot of meetings.    But every unit needs a good manager and I think some of those who expressed this as their goal have qualities that would help them be successful in this field.  

Last night I attended staff meeting for the unit I work in.   In this meeting we were told that IHC will require all new nurse hires as of July 1, 2017 to sign an agreement stating that they will complete their BSN within 5 years of their hire date.  This made me think back to last weeks discussion of the "future of nursing".  Many of us thought that the BSN requirement was coming, and this confirms that.  We were also informed that for now no requirement has been discussed for current working RNs within the corporation.  But I think that it is only a matter of time before that requirement is made for all nurses.  I was so thankful that I am almost done with my BSN when this thought came to my mind!  

A charge nurse position is going to be opening up in my unit.  I have been approached many times about my intentions.  Although in the past I have never really considered this type of position...this class has changed my thought process a little.  Thinking about my resume, with the plans of eventually attending grad school.  Having charge nurse as one of the highlights of my resume has intrigued me as I think about this position.  I still have not decided one way or another, but this class has definitely helped me view opportunities like this in a different light.  I guess a new adventure might lie ahead....maybe.   

Budget Interview

1.      What do you like most about budgeting?

I find it interesting to see where money goes, and trying to figure out how all the puzzle pieces fit together. 

2.      What is the hardest part of budgeting?

The hardest part of budgeting is keeping employees happy when budget cuts are being made.  Sometimes employees don’t understand that the budget cuts being made are done to avoid staff cuts and other significant changes in the work structure. 

3.      What kind of system do you use to keep track of the budget, is it electronic?

I use an excel worksheet that has been created and adjusted over time.  This makes it easy to quickly see what’s going on in the budget quickly. 

4.      What are some ways you try to keep within budget and where are the most budget cuts usually made?

From month to month there are not usually many changes so staying in budget is usually not very difficult.  The largest budget cuts I have had to make are in wages.  This usually results in having to lay-off 1 or 2 employees and then reassigning their workload. 

5.      Do you have a specific approval process you have to go through to get new items added to the budget?

In order to have new items added to the budget I have to explain why this is needed, and justify the increase in the budget according to increased profit.  This process is done with my manager.

6.      What consequences are there if you go over budget?

I have never had a month where I have been way over budget to know what would happen.  But I understand why this could be a serious problem. 

7.      Were you able to create your budget from scratch, or did the administration of your company hand it to you?

Prior to taking this job the budget was already made.  However, I have made adjustments since I started. 

8.      What is the most difficult aspect of budgeting?

Trying to find money that doesn’t seem to exist.

9.      What area/category of budgeting is the hardest to maintain?

The extras (lunches, flowers, drinks, etc) add up quickly, and people don’t understand that at times. 

10.  What is one tip you would give to a new leader on budgeting?

Frequently look at your budget and try to find ways it can be improved upon. 

11.  What area of the budget would people be most surprised by the amount spent?

The extra stuff in the department.  That stuff adds up quickly. 

12.  Is it difficult meeting budget from month to month?

Not usually since most things are fairly consistent.  

When I think about budgeting....actually lets be honest.  I don't like to think about doing budgets, or living by budgets, or talking about budgets.  But that is not reality.  We live every day within a budget, and the jobs we work at have to do the same.  As I was conducting this interview the one thing I was surprised by was expense of extra things.  I see this in may own life but I don't think I have ever applied it to workplace situations.  Every month when I look at the spending of my family I am slightly disappointed in how much money we spent of things of little to no importance.  In a workplace this can also be an area where the expense of little things can add up without even realizing.  

The person I interviewed was my brother.  He has always been a pretty financially savvy person, but by doing this interview I saw a new side of him.  It's funny how when we are wearing the "hat" of our job we can at times become a what seems like a new person.  I know that I see this in myself when I'm at work, but it is interesting seeing a new side of a person who you know well.  

4550 Critical Thinking Week 10

·         Does the use of EMR guarantee error-free patient care? If yes, why? If no, why?

I do not think that the use of an EMR guarantees error-free patient care.  I think that it can help achieve this goal but it depends on how accurately the EMR is filled out.  Since this is usually information provided by the patient there is room for human error.  Because of this I do not think that it guarantees anything.  But, if done correctly it can be a great tool that can help provide care for a patient that is safe. 

·         What types of nursing behavior regarding the use of EMRs might contribute to jeopardizing patient safety?

·         

      -Rushing the patient while filing out the EMR form

·         -Not looking closely at the names, dose amount, and dose schedule and transferring this information incorrectly to the electronic version

·         -Not clarifying with the patient information that is difficult to read, or doesn’t make sense

·         -Not including OTC medications on the list

·         What are the dangers of excessive system alerts in computer charting systems?

When there is an excessive number of system alerts in a system I think that users become desensitized and stop taking them seriously.  Also, users might stop looking at each individual alert and make assumptions of what alerts has been triggered, and assume incorrectly. 

·         How can the nurse guard against the potential effect? 

To guard against this effect nurses need to take the time to look at the alerts being triggered and see if there is common theme.  Maybe the nurse is doing something wrong that is resulting in a large number of alerts.  Changing their process could help decrease alerts and therefore allow the nurse to focus on potential problems.  

This past year I was involved in the launch of a computer charting system in our hospital.  In the beginning there were many problems, and charting took a long time compared to our old ways.  I kind of got used to alerts being triggered, and when I would read them or find a specialist they would tell me not to worry about it.  This behavior eventually became normal.  Luckily, most of those alerts were fixed.  Now when one is triggered I try and pay attention and read the information provided to fix the problem.  

In my unit we do not complete EMR since I work with newborn babies.  In fact, I have joked in the past that not having to do med recs is one of my favorite things about my job.  Prior to working in the NICU I worked in Behavioral Medicine, and medication reconciliations were very difficult, and very often incomplete...I am so glad I don't have to do them anymore :)

Reflective Journal - Week 9

This week I realized how disorganized I am :)  Trying to find all of the items I needed for my Professional Portfolio was quite the project.  I guess when the semester is over I have one more thing to add to my list....organizing all of my important documents!!

As I work on my Professional Portfolio and think of the future of nursing I had many thoughts go through my mind.  What do I want my future of nursing to be???  This is a question I have asked myself many times throughout my professional life.  When I first started as a nurse I sure I had a timeline in mind for completing things such as my BSN.  Well, I think I'm completing it a little later than I had expected.  But I don't regret it.  In the last 9 years I have accomplished a lot in my nursing career, as well as my personal life.  When people have asked me why now...why not 5 years ago?  My answer is...I wasn't ready 5 years ago.  I had a 2 year old, and had just suffered a miscarriage.  I was not focused on growing my resume, I was focused on my personal life...which was and still is more important to me.  I love being a nurse, but one of the things I love most about being a nurse is the flexibility it gives me to also be a mom and wife.  A mom who has time to help in the classroom, a mom who can read books in the afternoon, a mom who feels like she is able to be primarily at home, and a mom who can raise her own children.  I know that this life isn't for everyone, but I love that nursing gives me that flexibility.  I love my job, and my job fills a different need for me.  When I am at work I thrive on the mental stimulation I can experience, I have so many friends I work with and in many ways these are the people that understand me the most.  So, I guess I have found a balance between work and school, and this balance shifts on a regular basis depending on my needs at the time.  Finishing my BSN fits in my life right now, and I am so glad that I took on this adventure.

Reflective Journal - Week 8

We all love money...but we don't all love to budget!  This week working on budgeting was a new thing for me.  I live my life on somewhat of a budget, but definitely not a strict budget.  Maybe that is why this week assignment was not super easy for me.  Another reason I think that it was difficult was because I felt that cutting nursing budget was the most obvious answer to the problem, but this was so personal to me at the same time.  As an RN, I almost felt bad for thinking that I should cut budget from fellow RNs.  But, as a manager I'm sure feelings like this would not be foreign since each manager started out as a nurse.  I also think feelings like this are a good thing, and help us realize that each budget cut we make is not just a number, but can also be a person and their well being.  Although it wasn't super fun to cut the budget, I tried to find a way to cut budget from the RN wages, but increase budget for the support staff.  This I felt would help the RN feel valued, and supported while on the floor.  As a leader on the unit, I feel that a nurse manager needs to make the staff feel valued and supported.  I hope that if I was actually working with a real budget, and the cuts I made were affecting real people, that they would feel that with the arrangements I made I was keeping their best interest in mind and not just making cuts without understanding who each cut would affect.

From now on my thought process will be a little different when hearing things about budget...more than me just rolling my eyes ;)

Reflective Journal - Week 7

What a busy week.  It has gone by so fast!!  I don't know if school qualifies...but times flies :)

Interesting week thinking about power, and who holds power.  The discussion for this week was fun and I was surprised with how people answered the question.  The one boy in our group answered women, and two of the girls answered men....not what I would have expected.  People brought out good points for each gender, but what one person might view as a strength others viewed the same trait as a weakness.

I feel that both men and women can make good leaders, as well as bad leaders.  I have had experiences in my life with both.  In my current unit we have a male manager with a staff of mostly women.  In this situation I feel that being a male has it advantages.  I can't imagine what it would be like to manage over 100 women, plus we work in the women's and children's department....we are surrounded by women all the time!  Poor guy--I think that could be a little overwhelming.

Leadership is an important aspect of our lives, and when in positions of leadership gender is not the most important thing.  The traits and personality of the leader hold much more importance than whether they are a man or a woman.

Firing-Discipline Interview

Person Interviewed: Ryan Gibert, Regional Supply

1.  How many warnings should an employee be offered prior to firing?

For many situations I kind of use a “three strikes” approach, but if the offense is serious no warnings are warranted. 

2. When doing firings, do you do this alone or with another member of the team?

It depends on the situation, who else is involved, and if I think the employee can handle it without breaking down. 

3.  Is firing people and conducting discipline the worst part of your job?

It is difficult to fire people, but there are more stressful parts of my job than that.  But I definitely don’t enjoy conducting discipline and firing. 

4. Do you find it important to involve HR in the actual meeting where you fire the employee?

This is another situational thing.  If the employee has a major infraction that needs HR involvement I do include them.  But sometimes I find it more difficult if more people are involved.  I don’t want the employee to feel attacked or bullied, but having another person there can sometimes be helpful as well.  Many times, I speak with HR prior to the face to face to make sure that my actions are appropriate.

5.  Are there situations you jump straight to firing an employee instead of starting with a verbal or written warning? 

If an employee has done something illegal like stealing no warning are warranted.  Other actions such as, sexual harassment also need to be dealt with immediately.  But small infractions can be dealt with using written or verbal warnings. 

6. What is one tip you would give a student in a leadership class regarding the firing/discipline process that you wish you would have known sooner?

Keep track of the problems for each employee with written warnings.  This will help give you evidence to use if you need to fire someone.  If warnings are verbal it is more difficult to remember specifics and it’s nice to have a paper trail.  Also with each written warning, have the employee sign it saying they understand what they did wrong, and understand what happens if they continue.

7.  Has there ever been a time when you've changed your mind about firing an employee after meeting with them?

Yes—this happens when an employee doesn’t come talk to me about a situation until it’s too late.  If an employee is dealing with something personal or related to work that is affecting their ability to do their job I need to know.  If an employee doesn’t tell me what is going on I can’t fix the problem. 

8. What is the most difficult part of firing an employee?

The most difficult part is actually telling them they are fired.  The conversation usually starts with information that leads up to the firing, and them explaining why or giving an excuse.  But when it comes down to the actual words it is difficult. 

9. Do you have a follow up process with employees who have received written warnings and are those warnings ever forgiven?

With each written warning, I meet with the employee and discuss it.  I have the employee sign it saying they understand and the information is correct.  During yearly evaluations, I will discuss any warnings that were received during the year, at that time I feel I can decide if the warning needs to stay on their record or not.   

10.How often have you had to give verbal warnings, written warnings, and fire an employee, respectively?

Luckily in my job I haven’t had to do this very many times. 

11.What is the most common offense from your employees that you must deal with?

Time clock issues.  Clocking in late, clocking out late, etc.

12.Is there ever an "easy" or "best" part when firing someone?

If I have the information I need to defend my decision it makes the process much easier.

13.Do you generally use standardized criteria when determining if an individual is in need to be fired, or is it mostly individualized? 

Individualized

14.What do you do if an employee becomes emotional or hysterical during the firing process?

If I know that this will happen in advance I have another person in the room with me.  Luckily I have never had to deal with this.  

After completing this interview I realized I don't know if I ever want to hold a position that requires me to fire people.  I don't mind confrontation for the most part, but this would be difficult for me.  I feel that one area I need to work on is looking at the facts and not allowing myself change my mind due to my personal relationship with the person.  I would be the person that would think "...but they have a family to provide for....they really need this job....maybe they will be better in the future..."  I know that I'm not responsible for a person's actions, but I would want to help and this could be to my own demise.  In situations were discipline and firing are done I feel a leader needs to be decisive, fact-based, and fair.  Also, this person needs to know what can and cannot be done.  Avoiding a wrongful termination lawsuit would need to be a consideration, and consulting with HR would be a good idea in this area.  In my unit there are over 125 nurses, I can't imagine how hard it would be to keep track of everyone, including those who fall short, and those who go above and beyond.  Finding this balance needs to be a top priority for true leaders to help employees feel valued, but also to press the importance of following the rules.  

The person I interviewed was my husband.  He has held multiple positions over the years where he has had to deal with firing and discipline.  Most of his answers I knew, just from being around him and knowing him for half of my life.  But there were a few answers I didn't expect.  I always knew when he was dealing with this kind of a situation because it would affect his mood for days.  Decisions like these would weigh heavily on him.  He wouldn't speak to me about the specifics, but I could always tell that he was worried about the person, and their family, and how losing their job would affect their lives.  But with all of that he knew what he was doing had to be done.  And really it was the employee who made the decision based on their actions.  

Reflective Journal - Week 6

I really enjoyed this week, especially reading and discussing everyone's articles about current ethical concerns.  This area intrigues me in many ways, but most because it gets my mind running in overtime.  I love to try and piece together what is going on from people's different perspectives, and trying to understand what I would do if I was involved.  It is so easy to judge each other for their views, and opinions.  But with some thought and discussion I feel that minds can be changed, and perspectives more open to difference.

One of the comments on my post was how not only are there many different people with different views.  I alone had I think 3 different views and perspectives on the topic.  So when you get 3 different people with 3 different perspectives each you are looking at maybe 9 different ways to look at any given ethical situation, possibly more.

This type of conversation makes me thankful to live in a country where we can voice our opinions.  We can choose for ourselves in most situations, and we can give others the same courtesy even if we don't agree.

Performance Appraisal Interview

1.    How do you handle employees who disagree with their evaluations?

When I address each employee, I have each goal clearly stated, peer evaluations, manager evaluation and any other applicable information available.  This makes it difficult for an employee to argue with the facts placed before them.  But the times when a disagreement occurs, I try and speak honestly, and validate the employee, but stick to the information stated. 

2.    What do you expect your employees to take home from their evaluations?

I want my employees to feel valued, and appreciated following their evaluations.  I try and highlight what they are doing well at, and use a positive tone when dealing with areas for improvement. 

3.    Is the evaluation process the same for all employees, or do you taper it to fit with individuals as needed?

I follow the same format for each employee’s evaluation. 

4.    How should an employee prepare for their evaluation?

If I expect the employee to recite, or have something memorized I try and inform them of that prior to the evaluation.  Other than that, I simply expect them to come on time, and with a positive attitude. 

5.    What are the categories that you evaluate your employees on?

Manager evaluation of skills and performance, Peer evaluation of skills and performance, time clock violations, overall performance, goals set by the employee, questions and concerns, extra effort to better the department.

6.    How long do you plan for each evaluation?

Since I have many employees that need to have evaluations done.  I try to stick to 30 minutes per employee.

7.    Do you conduct evaluations alone or with another manager/staff member?

I conduct most evaluations alone, unless there is a problem with the employee.  In these situations, I bring in their direct manager for the evaluation as well. 

8.    Should employees that come in for an evaluation dress a certain way?

I expect my employees to dress as they would for work for their evaluations. 

9.    How do you approach a performance appraisal interview with a "problem" employee?

With problem employees, I include their direct manager in the evaluation process.  I also collect information that is relevant for the situation.  With these employees, I start with what they are doing well, with this positive foundation set I approach areas of improvement with constructive criticism.

10.  How do you answer an employee if they ask for a raise?

Most employees receive a yearly raise that comes following their evaluation.  I give the employee as much information as I have regarding this raise during the evaluation, reminding them that the exact amount will be disclosed later.  If they have any questions when the raises are disclosed I welcome them to come speak to me at that time. 

11.  Apart from salary increase, how do you show an employee that you value their work and contributions?

I try to regularly recognize my employees for exceptional work throughout the year.  This can be done with an email, a card, or a public recognition at a meeting.  During their evaluations, I try and highlight the areas where they are doing well and thank them for their hard work. 

12.  How do you make your performance appraisal meaningful?

During the evaluations, I try and speak to them with good eye contact, smiling, positive body language, include small conversations about their personal lives.  I try and make them feel like they matter and they are not just another employee.  I always use their first name, and shake their hand.

13.  Do you find it important to help the employee set personal goals during this meeting?

During their evaluations, we assess the previous year’s goals.  This can sometimes lead to goals for the following year, but not always.  I do like to speak with the employee about any special goals, or goal requirements for the following year.    

14.  What have you found to be the most time effective way to conduct a large number of evaluations?

The best way to complete many evaluations is to stay on time.  Do not extend past the allotted 30 minutes for each employee.  With this rigorous schedule I try and also schedule a few breaks so I can eat, and get away from my desk for a few minutes.  This helps me stay focused during the evaluations.  

Person Interviewed:  Barry Gibert, Allstate Insurance 

Reflective Journal - Week 5

Is is a coincidence that I had my end of year evaluation the same week that we discussed this topic i class...weird!  But it brought this information close to home and I paid more attention to the questions I was asked because of this weeks topic.  At work when I see the sign-up sheet for evals I always feel bad for our manager.  Especially this year since he is in poor health.  I can't imagine completing over 125 evals within a 3 week period on top of a regular work load.  So he was smart to keep evaluations in 10 minute slots.  He was direct, quick, and effective with the information that needed to be shared.  I was feeling good when I left his office, because I was able to achieve the highest rating.  With such a busy life, that has included school for the last 5 months it was reassuring that I have maintained the balance I was striving for and still exceeding expectations in the unit.  I think one of the reasons I have put school off for so long is because I didn't know how to fit it in my schedule.

The morale of the unit is always affected a little bit during evaluation time.  Walking around you can almost tell what rating each person has received due to the way they act and carry themselves following their meeting.  You can occasionally hear people talking about how their eval went, and people comparing their ranking.  Then the mood changes to...what are our raises going to be this year?  We are all a little driven by money and see our hard work pay off from the previous year.  So in many ways evals are hard, but they can be rewarding if you are doing your job well.

Reflection Week 4

Another week come and gone....not gonna lie that makes me happy...one week closer to graduation!!!

This week focusing on interviewing had me thinking back to interviews I have been involved in.  Trying to remember the questions I was asked, what I wore, how I interacted with the interviewer, etc.  This brought back many memories, and made me thankful that I have not had to go through this process recently.  Interviews always stressed me out.  What should I wear?  How long should I plan for the drive?  What are they going to ask me?  All these questions and more brought a smile to my face.  I have been at my job for 9 years, and when I think back to my first RN interview I think of how I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  As a new grad the excitement for your first paying RN job is so overwhelming.  The stress of school is behind you (until you go back for your BSN), no more papers to write, no more tests, no more lectures.  I had no idea that the learning was just beginning!  And even 9 years later I still learn things about my specialty almost every shift I work.  That has become one of the things I love most about my job!

As my perspectives and goals change in relation to my current job, I realize that more interviews may be in my future.  This week has helped me tremendously.  As mentioned above I haven't been interviewed in a long time.  So bringing these types of questions and considerations to the foreground of my thoughts has helped me mentally prepare for what may be coming in the next few years.

Hiring Interveiw

Person Interviewed:  Boyd Draper, Senior VP of Engineering Development and Project                                                         Management for Savage Services

• How much does physical appearance and professional dress play into your hiring decision?

First impressions are important in the interviewing process.  The way a person dresses helps me form that first impression, therefore it is very important.

• Do you like group or individual interviews better?  What are the advantages to each?

I like to start with individual interviews first, this allows me to get to know the candidate on a personal level.  If more interviews are needed group interviews can help me see how the candidates work in a group setting. 

• What questions do you like to hear from the candidate at the end of the interview?

Questions that show that they did their homework about the company they are wanting to work for. 

• How should a candidate best prepare for an interview with you?

Preparation should include researching information about the company to see if the company is a good fit.  Dressing professionally and being on time.  Bringing a copy of their resume in case I am unable to quickly locate theirs.

• What is the first thing you look for or notice in an interview?

Besides the way there are dressed, I notice how they carry themselves, how they interact with strangers, their body language, if they are nervous, their confidence level

• How important is professional dress to you during an interview?  Is there anything as dressing too formal?

Professional dress is extremely important.  Since I hire people who will travel and represent the company throughout the world, I want them to present themselves in a way that would provide confidence in the company. 

•  What is the process you use to narrow down candidates who are equally qualified?

Sometimes I look at their education, how the interview went, their previous experience.  But a lot of the time it comes from how I felt during their interview. 

• What are some red flags you notice during interviews?

Red flags would include: overconfidence, speaking poorly of previous employers, being late to the interview, not admitting to any weaknesses or shortcomings, blaming previous failures on others

• What are the most important requirements for those you are interviewing?  Experience vs. education?

For most of the jobs I do the hiring for education is a requirement, and experience is the icing on the cake.  There are certain things a person can only learn through experience, but without education the job would be overwhelming. 

• Some people get nervous when being interviewed, how much does that affect your decision in the interviewing process?

If a person is nervous it is ok, as long as they aren’t nervous because they are not qualified for the position.  Being nervous in some ways is a good thing.  Someone that is not nervous may be overconfident. 

• What are some of the things you look for in someone you are hiring?

One thing I look for is how they interact with people, including me, during an interview.  How they respond to my questions, and how they carry themselves in uncomfortable situations.  An interview is a perfect situation to test someone in the people skills, and ability to communicate in stressful situations.

• What bothers you most about people that come in for interviews?

I am bothered when people are late, and keep me and others waiting.  I respect them and their time, they should offer me the same respect.  I also find it disturbing when candidates come across as arrogant, and act better than everyone else.  On the other hand, I don’t want candidates to answer questions without personality and individuality with textbook answers.   

• What is your favorite interview question?

One of my favorite questions to ask a person is what their hobbies are.  Especially with candidates that have recently graduated from master’s programs.  This question allows me to see more about who they are.  I want employees to have culture, and individuality that bring more than simply an education to the table.

The person I conducted this interview with is my Dad.  Many of the questions I asked him I had heard his answers before, but there were some surprises.  One interesting thing to me is that all of the these questions apply in the interviewing process regardless of work industry.  My dad is an engineer who travels all around the world designing and overseeing construction of exporting terminals.  This is very different from what I do, but most of the questions have applied to interviews I have done in the medical industry.  The interviewing process is done to find the best candidate for the job, sometimes the questions aren't job specific, but people specific. 

Reflective Journal Week 3

This week has been a fun one.  I haven't interviewed someone, or been interviewed for a while so it was fun thinking back to interviews I have been involved in and what questions were being asked.  I am not sad to say that I am happy those parts of my life are past, and I don't have any immediate plans to participate in more.  The interview process can be so stressful.

One of the interviews that I hope to one day participate in is Life Flight.  This is one of my dreams, to one day be a Life Flight nurse.  But I will have to say that the interview process for this makes me sick to my stomach.  Candidates are interviewed by their peers in a setting where you are the only candidate being interviewed by all the members of the Life Flight team that are available.  Sometimes, if attendance is good, a candidate can be interviewed by 10-15 people.  These are people I work with on a regular basis, who I have so much respect for.  But the thought of being interviewed by them freaks me out!  Maybe one day I'll have the courage to put myself in the running!

Now the thought of being the interviewer sounds kind of fun.  That may sound mean, but I think it would be nice to be on the opposite side for once.  I'm sure it's not as fun as it sounds, but a girl can dream, right??!?!?  In all seriousness, I'm sure at times it can be so difficult to choose who to hire.  In some cases there may be multiple qualified individuals, but in situations that are the opposite it would be so difficult to try and figure out who to hire when none of the candidates seem to be the perfect fit.

Reflective Journal-Week 2

This week as I was able to complete the assignment for this leadership I have started to look at leadership differently than I probably did 2 weeks ago.  I look at it from multiple angles instead of just thinking about it as the "people in charge".  With this being said...some of the people in these positions I do view as leaders, and others I don't.  I think I have based this decision upon their actions and how they carry themselves on a daily basis.  I also think of how they treat others, and how they are treated in return.

In the profession of nursing many leaders can be found.  Those who apply for and obtain positions of leadership, and those who work to earn the respect of those around them.  As I look at the charge nurses in the unit I work in I can identify which charge nurses fall into which category.  I was able to speak with the lead charge nurse for night shift about what her expectations were upon receiving the job of charge nurse, and further the title of lead charge nurse and if these expectations were met.  She laughed and her first response was...."I had no idea what I was getting myself into!".  I found this comment comical, and asked her if it was better or worse than she expected.  Her response was that in some ways it was better and in others it was way worse, but she did not regret her decision in taking these positions.  She told me that her favorite parts of the job included: getting to know everyone better, building a stronger rapport with the doctors, learning new procedures, strengthening her clinical skills, having time to help others, and having a better understanding of how the unit works.  The parts that she doesn't like as much included: dealing with difficult families, dealing with difficult staff, trying to staff the unit during busy times, cancelling staff during slow times, and being expected to know everything.  The conversation was enlightening to me, and I was able to communicate to her that I look to her as a true leader on night shift.

Having strong leaders can make such a difference throughout the shift.  Someone you trust, someone you know has good judgement, someone who tries to find the best solution to the problem, and someone who truly wants the team to succeed.  These are the people I love working with!

Characteristics of Leaders

1.  Leadership requires personal mastery- Peter M. Senge, a senior lecturer at MIT's Sloan School of Management said this, "People with a high level of personal mastery live in a continual learning mode.  They never 'arrive'...it is a process."  To be leaders nurses need to continue learning knowing that there is always something new to learn and research.  By doing this nurses can become great leaders.  (www.infed.org)
2. Leadership is about values- Some of the values important in good leaders are also important in good nurses and can include: Caring, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence (NLN, 2017)
3. Leadership is about service- According to the American Nurses Association, nursing, like leadership, is about providing "protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. (ANA, 2016)  These are all examples of the services we provide as nurses. 
4. Leadership is about people and relationships- "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others." -Bill Gates (Forbes Magazine, 2013)  Being a leader means having followers, but to be a true leader you will empower and courage these followers to do their best, and be their best.  In nursing helping those around you, and encouraging them to be better is a way to be a leader.
5. Leadership is contextual-Reach for Infinity is a management development company run by Sunit Rikhi who worked for 30 years as an Intel executive.  On his blog he defines contextual leadership as "knowing when and how to lead, follow and collaborate".  I like that this includes collaborating and following as characteristics of a leader, and knowing when this is appropriate.  Nurses as leaders also need to know when they need to collaborate with others and follow depending on the context of the situation and individuals involved.                   (www. reachforinfinity.com)
6. Leadership is about the management of meaning-  Nurses as leaders need to create a work environment that can be interpreted as positive, service-oriented, safe, and the importance of teamwork. 
7. Leadership is about balance-Finding balance in all things in life is important regardless of a nurses stage of life.  Early on it is the balance of school, homework, new job training, family life, etc.  Later on it may be the balance of RN-BSN school, work, family, etc  Regardless of what stage of life one is in, finding balance allows finding success and allows for leadership qualities to develop and grow. 
8. Leadership is about continuous learning and improvement-Nurses demonstrate this form of leadership when they have a desire to always finding ways to expand their knowledge.  This includes understanding how and why they are doing what they are doing.   
9. Leadership is about effective decision making- During stressful situation nurses can show their leadership by being able to make decision effectively, and delegating appropriately in order to complete the task at hand.  
10. Leadership is a political process- Nurses can be leaders by showing respect for those in who hold leadership roles due to their position in the unit.  But not all leaders in nursing must be appointed through the "political process".  Leaders can be found in many ways via their actions and standards portrayed while performing their duties as a nurse.  
11. Leadership is about modeling- Nurses can show leadership by being the type of nurses they would want taking care of their own families.  This includes being an example that others should follow, setting achievable goals, always doing the right thing, dressing and acting professionally, etc.  
12. Leadership is about integrity-Integrity is viewed as one of the core values of nursing, and the definition provided by the National League for Nursing applies to both nursing and leadership "A culture of integrity is evident when organizational principles of open communication, ethical decision-making, and humility are encourage, expected, and demonstrated consistently.  Not only is doing the right thing simply how we do business, but our actions reveal our commitment to truth telling and to how we always see ourselves from the perspective of others in a larger community." (www.nln.org)