Nurses are often selected for leadership roles on committees and task forces.
In these leader- ship roles and as unit managers and team leaders, they conduct numerous meetings. The follow- ing section provides guidance for leading and conducting meetings.
INTRODUCING MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS Bruce Shapiro was promoted six months ago to nurse manager for the stroke rehabilitation unit of a nationally owned rehabilitation hospital. Patient care delivery sys- tems have been under intensive review at the corporate level, and major changes in staffing are underway. Previ- ously, physical and occupational therapists were staffed out of a separate department and reported to the direc- tor of physical therapy. Now all therapists will be unit based and report to the nurse manager. Documentation will now be team centered instead of being split among nursing, therapists, and other care providers.
Janice Simpson has been a physical therapist for 25 years and has been at the rehab hospital for the past 6 years. She worked as a shift leader for physical therapy until the new unit-based staffing was implemented. Janice has been assigned to the stroke rehab unit and will report to Bruce. She feels uncomfortable in her new role and is concerned about how she will fit in with the established nursing staff. Janice is also concerned that with the new documentation system, the physical therapy patient evaluations will not be included in determining patient goals.
Bruce is eager for Janice to join the staff of the stroke rehabilitation unit. He schedules individual meetings with Janice and the three other therapists who will be assigned to his unit. Bruce outlines the roles and expec- tations of staff on the unit and listens attentively to their questions and concerns. He also reviews the physical and occupational therapy job descriptions and reviews their respective documentation standards. At the monthly
staff meeting, Bruce discusses the roles and responsibili- ties of the therapists with the nursing staff. A mentor is assigned to meet daily with each therapist for their first two weeks on the unit.