Question

CASE STUDY

NEGOTIATION
Susie Smith, a nurse manager of a 77-bed orthopedic unit, is trying to get the pharmacy to deliver medications earlier in the morning. The clinical nurses are unable to schedule procedures in a timely manner, complete all required treatments, and medicate clients on time because of the late pharmacy delivery. Nurse Smith has scheduled meetings with the pharmacy manager. She has determined the exact time required for timely delivery to the unit and for proper client medication delivery. After brainstorming to identify options, she has decided that she will not back down on her demand that the medications be administered earlier. When Nurse Smith meets with the pharmacy manager, she clearly states the problem and asks for input from his perspective. The pharmacy manager tells Nurse Smith that he cannot change the time schedule because he will upset his workers and their organization. Nurse Smith empathizes with him but reiterates that for quality care, it is essential to administer medications in a timely fashion. Nurse Smith offers to work with him in analyzing delivery times to help develop a different schedule that meets everyone’s needs. The pharmacy manager declines and tells her that it is her problem, not his. What should Nurse Smith do?

1. What are the three forms of communication often used when two sides seek to reach an agreement? Which of those is being used here?
2. A patient in the orthopedic unit suffers a significant setback in his recovery when he cannot function properly during physical therapy because his pain medications were not available at the right time to enable him to participate pain-free. The physicians on the orthopedic unit speak out in support of the patients’ needs to receive medications in a timely fashion. As a result, a small task group is made up of Nurse Smith, the pharmacy manager, and two staff members from both departments. Because she was the one who tried to spearhead this change, Nurse Smith is made the group leader. Not wanting to alienate the already defensive pharmacy team members, she decides she will only use an empowering style of leadership. Do you agree with her?

Answer 1

(A) Nurse, Susie Smith should do -

* She should try to convince the manager of the pharmacy and explain the problems in depth about that her patients are facing problem and their recoveries are compromised because of the delay of deliveries.

* She should try to complaint the negligence of manager to higher authority of pharmacy than manager.

* She should talk to the doctor and higher authorities and should complaint about the problem caused by the pharmacy and the manager of the pharmacy.

* She can look for any alternative i.e if there is any second option like getting medications from any other pharmacy.

(B) Three forms of communication offer used when two sides seek to reach an agreement are -

1) Compromise

2) Negotiation

3) Mediation

* Negotiation is a process where two parties in a conflict or dispute to reach a settlement between themselves that they can both agree on.
* Mediation means the process in which a neutral third party assists the parties in conflict to reach a solution.
* Compromise means an agreement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.

Here, Negotiation is used as Nurse Smith tried to negotiate the timing delivery that meet everyone's need but unfortunately pharmacy manager disagreed.

(C) Yes, I am totally agreed with her, because she took a step forward to raise the issue because of which patients were facing problem in recovery. She tried to solve the problem by negotiating with the manager and even when manager denied to solve her complaint, she took complaint to higher authorities, later because of which the problem got solved. So all this shows that she is a good nurse who care for her patients and have courage to raise issues and have determination to solve problems and have some leadership qualities. So, if she will do in favour of patients and hospital then I am totally agreed with her.