OR Manager June 2023 - 21

Staffing
Melissa Lingle, MBA, BSN, RN, surgical
services director for Mount Carmel
East, in Columbus, Ohio, part of the
Mount Carmel Health System, recently
hired a manager who, although not an
expert in surgical services, has excellent
team building skills. " I am an expert in
surgical services and so are my educators
and clinical managers, " Lingle
says. " I didn't need an expert in surgical
services, I needed somebody who can
build a team. " An added advantage is
that the new manager is from a younger
generation and brings fresh perspectives.
Staff, who interviewed candidates,
were happy with the choice and looked
forward to her ideas.
Another adaptation is to accept that
there is no going back, only forward. Lingle
says that she realizes staff turnover
will remain higher than in the past, so it
is important to plan ahead and recruit
on a regular basis.
Zimmerman sees a positive outcome
of the pandemic-greater collaboration
between chief executive officers,
chief nursing officers, and chief financial
officers to address workforce issues.
" There is more of a [C-suite] presence
on nursing units and at forums
where staff and nurse leaders can talk
to CEOs and CFOs about the challenges
and how we can work together to address
them, " she says.
Despite all the challenges, Zimmerman
also is seeing hope among leaders.
" We have a wonderful opportunity
to redesign healthcare and have a seat
at the table, " she says. Nurse leaders
can help bring people together to make
change. " Nurses have the skill to bring
people who have dissident opinions together,
so that the right decisions can
be made for the health and wellness of
the community. " ORM
-Cynthia Saver, MS, RN, is president of
CLS Development, Inc, Columbia,
Maryland, which provides editorial
services to healthcare publications.
Tips for middle managers
Middle managers are particularly vulnerable
to stress because they face pressures
from above and below the hierarchy. These
tips may help middle managers ease
some of that stress.
➤ Establish regular check-in time with
your staff and with your manager.
➤ Empower team members. Ask them
what they think should be done and
let them know you support their decision-making
process.
➤ Don't neglect relationship building.
It is easy to focus on tasks, but relationships
are equally important and
can be rewarding.
➤ Find a coach or mentor.
➤ Hire well. It is easy to give into the
temptation to fill that open spot but
wait for the right person to avoid
problems down the road.
➤ Leverage technology. Block time on
your electronic calendar so you have
References
AONL. Nursing leadership workforce
compendium. Section 1. 2022.
AONL. Nursing leadership workforce
compendium. Section 2. 2023.
Cupit T, Stout-Aguilar J, Cannon L, et
al. Assessing the nurse manager's
span of control: A partnership between
executive leadership, nurse
scientists and clinicians. Nurse
Leader. 2019;17(2):103-108.
Galura S, Warshawsky N, Hu W, W, et
al. A survey of interim nurse managers
to understand the role and the
impact on patient outcomes. J Nurs
Adm. 2022;52(1):42-50.
Gradfield E M, Schlotzhauer A, Cramer
E, Warshawsky N E, et al. Relationships
among nurse managers' job
design, work environment, and
nurse and patient outcomes. Res
Nurs Health. Accepted for publication.
Keith
A D C, Warshawsky N, Neff D,
et al. Factors that influence nurse
www.ormanager.com
time to think. Use tools such as Microsoft
Teams to promote collaboration.
➤
Evaluate meetings. If you are invited
to a meeting, ask yourself if you really
need to go. For your own meetings,
ask questions such as, Is this meeting
necessary? Could it be held less
often and with fewer people? Could it
be shortened?
➤ Engage in self-development. Make
time for your own education. It not
only builds your skills but also often
provides networking opportunities.
➤ Take care of yourself. For example,
establish boundaries between work
and home.
Source: Lyons M. Why middle management
is so exhausting, and what to do
about it. BetterUp. 2022.
manager job satisfaction: An integrated
literature review. J Nurs
Manag. 2020;29(3):373-384.
Raymond P. 6 things Gen Z employees
want their managers to know about
the workplace in 2023. Entrepreneur.
2023.
Schlotzhauer A, Cramer E, Grandfield
E M, Warshawsky N E. Evidencebased
guidance for enhancing nurse
manager efficacy. J Nurs Adm. Accepted
for publication.
Warshawsky N. Building nurse manager
well-being by reducing healthcare
system demands. J Nurs Adm.
2022;52(4):189-191.
Warshawsky N, Garamanica L, Cramer
E. Organizational support for nurse
manager role transition and onboarding:
Strategies for success. J
Nurs Adm. 2020;50(5):254-260.
Warshawsky N, Cramer C. Describing
nurse manager role preparation
and competency: Findings
from a national study. J Nurs Adm.
2019;49(5):249-255.
OR Manager | June 2023
21
https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-middle-management-is-so-exhausting-and-what-to-do-about-it https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/what-gen-z-wants-their-managers-to-understand-in-2023/440623 http://www.ormanager.com
OR Manager June 2023

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