The Critical Thinking in Nursing Management series assists students or nurses at all levels of experience, especially those with leadership and management goals, to become effective nurse leaders and managers. The series helps learners bridge the gap between reading about abstract principles and experiencing real life-situations. Learners gain insight into nursing management through various strategies.

Case studies depict realistic situations in diverse health care settings. Learners may practice management skills and evaluate the effectiveness of different management approaches in a controlled, safe, and easy to access way. Multiple-choice tests provide feedback regarding knowledge about specific aspects of leadership and management. "Think About" questions stimulate self-exploration of complex management issues, e.g., learners reflect on past experiences as they consider new methods of dealing with situations.

SERIES OBJECTIVES

• Practice nursing leadership and management through simulated situations.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of managerial decision making in health care settings.

INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

• Problem Solving and Decision Making Learner Objectives
  • Identify the steps in the problem-solving process.
  • Analyze the effectiveness of a nurse leader/manager's problem-solving efforts.
  • Explain various decision-making models and styles employed by nurse leaders/managers.
  • Describe the characteristics of an effective decision maker.
  • Compare the advantages and disadvantages of group decision making.
  • Identify situations in which groups should be used as well as ways to enhance group effectiveness.
  • Describe various decision-making tools that may assist nurse leaders/managers and practice using these tools in simulated situations.
• Managing Conflict Learner Objectives
  • Analyze hypothetical conflicts, identifying the four stages of the conflict process.
  • Assess preferred approaches to managing conflict and evaluate the effectiveness of the learner's current approaches.
  • Determine which of the five different approaches to conflict is the most appropriate in various hypothetical situations.
• Assigning and Delegating Client Care Activities Learner Objectives
  • Differentiate common personnel/personal problems.
  • Identify symptoms of substance abuse.
  • Use role concepts to clarify personnel problems.
  • Prepare specific guidelines for documenting performance problems.
  • Identify the steps in progressive discipline.
• Managing Employee Problems Learner Objectives
  • Differentiate between assigning and delegating client care.
  • Describe the principles of client care assignment.
  • Describe the principles of delegating client care.
  • Identify strategies for successful delegation.
  • Identify the steps in progressive discipline.