1. The Nurse as Supervisor and Evaluator
Chapter 7

2. The Role of the Supervisor
Directs the activities of others as related to a particular endeavor
Ensures that nursing care of a group of patients is
carried out:
Correctly
In a timely manner
Efficiently

3. The Role of the Supervisor (cont’d)
Oversees the activities of variously educated individuals
Staff nurse has responsibility but little authority
Unit managers and head nurses:
Maintain patient care standards
Hire
Formally evaluate
Fire

4. Planning and Organizing the Work of the Team
Coach
Aptitudes and skills
Set “ stretch goals”
Lead team meetings
LISTEN
Implement

5. Planning and Organizing the Work of the Team cont.
Mentor
Purposes
Guide to most productive behaviors
Help organize and set priorities
Introduction to key people
Be an advocate
Skills
Value

6. Question Is the following statement true or false?
The person serving as a coach to others must possess competent skills and be well liked.

7. Answer
False.
Rationale: the person serving as a coach to others must possess competent skills and be emotionally stable.

8. Evaluating Performance
Includes assuring that the individual being observed:
understands the standards and expectations
that the work is assigned and structured appropriately
that the work is observed
that performance is judged against the standards and expectations

9. Providing Feedback May be formal or informal Positive feedback is:
Frequent
Timely
Public
For all employees
Accurate
Sincere
Objective

10. Providing Feedback (cont’d)
Negative feedback
Timely
Frequent
Private
Objective
Accurate
Non-threatening
Suggest changes

11. Providing Feedback (cont’d)
Select right time and right place
Use appropriate communication techniques
Give specific suggestions for change and propose alternative approaches
Be helpful
Show that you care
Recognize improvement and encourage independence

12. When Errors Occur Address both Plan for improvement- The error
The reason for the error
Lack of knowledge
Carelessness
System problem
Human error
Plan for improvement-

13. Question
One of the suggestions for giving negative feedback is that it is frequent. What does this mean?
A. You know when your staff is making a lot of mistakes and you need to do something about it.
B. Look for negative things to give feedback on to all your staff.
C. When given frequently, negative feedback is less threatening and easier to give.
D. Always precede a positive comment with a negative one.

14. Answer
C. When given frequently, negative feedback is less threatening and easier to give.
Rationale: if feedback is provided frequently, it becomes less threatening to those receiving it and easier for those giving it.

15. Performance Appraisal
Standards for performance appraisal
Job descriptions
Policies and procedures
Standards of nursing practice
Standards of care

16. Performance Appraisal (cont’d)
Soft skills
Customer focus
Communication skills
Learning and continuous improvement
Team player
Interpersonal skills

17. Formal Performance Appraisal System
Can include self and peer
Purposes
To improve the functioning of the organization
To foster the personal development of the employee
To provide a basis for termination of an employee from a position
Characteristics
Well-developed evaluation process has the support of top administration
Identify purposes of evaluation
The person doing it should be well trained

18. Formal Performance Appraisal System (cont’d)
Data collection
Accurate
Address the individual’s behavior
Job-specific
Representative of the person’s work
Should be written
Unbiased

19. Formal Performance Appraisal System (cont’d)
Common problems
Can be one of the weakest elements in the management process if not done correctly
Can be viewed negatively

20. Types of Performance Evaluation Tools
Narrative-strengths and weaknesses
Rating scales- most widely used
Checklist- yes, no or naot applicable
Goals and objectives- may not work in hospitals
Methods to decrease rater bias
Field review- several supervisors evaluate
Forced choice- best describes or least describes
Critical incident- time consuming and may record only negative

21. The Evaluation Interview
Planning
Mutually convenient time
Convenient, private location
Should not last longer than is necessary
Conducting
Socialize about work- related issues
Goals and objectives
Direct the tone of the interview

22. Potential Errors in Performance Evaluations
Failing to investigate facts before expressing opinions
Conducting a one-way conversation
Interrupting the employee’s thoughts, explanations, or questions
Criticizing the employee rather than the performance
Smoothing over real deficiencies and problems
Allowing the interview to deteriorate into a social visit

23. Progressive Discipline
Goal-
correct behavior
set stage for termination
Steps
Coaching- steps for improvement and time frame
Verbal warning- formal meeting and is documented
Written warning- job is at risk
Termination or suspension

24. Progressive Discipline (cont’d)
Critical elements
Prove that the alleged acts did, in fact, occur
Sufficiently serious to warrant disciplinary action
Common pitfalls
Lack of adequate documentation
The tendency to write a positive terminal evaluation for the employee who has performed unsatisfactorily if they agree to resign

25. Question
One of the critical elements in disciplinary actions involves proving that the employee’s behaviors were serious enough to warrant being disciplined. How is that accomplished?
A. The conduct that is being criticized must not have been ignored earlier.
B. Leave notes in the employee mailbox telling them of expected improvements.
C. Ask someone else to sit in on the disciplinary action.
D. There must be a signed contract with the employee for improvement.

26. Answer
A. The conduct that is being criticized must not have been ignored earlier.
Rationale: this means that the conduct that is being criticized must not have been condoned earlier, ignored, or forgiven.

27. Problematic Responses to Evaluation
Crying
Anger and hostility
Providing excuses

28. Self-Evaluation Critical component of professional practice
Be as objective about yourself as possible
Provide behavioral examples to support your self-evaluation
Recognize areas in which you are demonstrating very good or even excellent performance
Identify areas in which you seek to grow and improve

29. Peer Evaluation
Everyone must take the responsibility seriously and approach it the same way
Should have a standard format built around job descriptions
Should build trust between employees and focus on potential growth

30. Question Is the following statement true or false?
Peer evaluations can be especially important in areas where the supervisor has limited contact with the person being evaluated.

31. Answer
True.
Rationale: peer evaluations may be especially important when a supervisor has a very broad span of control and has limited contact with individuals to be evaluated, and, therefore, limited behavioral observations to support evaluation.

32. Responding to a Personal Evaluation
Positive performance appraisal
Accept compliments with dignity
Reinforces the action of the person providing you with feedback
Negative performance appraisal
Provides opportunity for verification, clarification, or expansion
Construct a self-improvement plan
Construct a plan for ongoing feedback