Goodmorning Everyone. In the Neurosurgery Ward of VLMC, we have 3 shifts and as a Headnurse of the unit, I am always in the area during the morning shift. To ensure that my staffs in the afternoon and night shifts are performing well and to maintain the standard of care in my unit, I delegated my supervisory tasks to the senior nurse on duty whom i designates as team leaders of the shifts. The same way the team leader of the morning shift also takes over my supervisory tasks when I am on off duty or attending conferences. That way I am confident that my unit operates smoothly even in my abscences.
Indicators of success are zero incidence of errors, negligence or accident by the nursing staff and zero patient complain. Through this scheme, I am always aware and informed of the situation in the unit regardless if its negative or positive.
Indicators of failure are deviant behavior or non-compliance of junior staff towards the team leader, group thinking and covering up of mistakes.
Lessons I learned: In choosing senior staff to be team leader, I put premium to the clinical experience, clinical competence, and excellent work ethics that will make team leader capable of guiding and supervising staffs with high level of commitment towards quality nursing care. Apart from the individual's ability to lead, I also take consideration the trust and confidence of the junior staff on the senior staff as the junior staff will most likely to follow someone they believe to be capable of leading them. The supervisory task delegated to the team should be clear and well defined so that they will not go overboard in their functions. By also allowing staff to evaluate their team leader creates check and balance in the existing working relationship and exposes existence of misunderstanding before conflicts escalates.
