MBA FPX 5007 Assessment 3 Intervention Strategy

• MBA FPX 5007 Assessment 3

Introduction

This evaluation aims to identify the nursing leadership issues in a specific case study and develop a strategic intervention to address these challenges. The goal of leveraging relevant leadership theories and healthcare policies is to create a solution that fosters a supportive workplace environment and resolves the ongoing leadership crisis. The intervention strategy will be grounded in leadership theories like the Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) and informed by critical healthcare policies.

Scenario

In the presented scenario, Marty, an African American nurse, has transitioned from an independent nursing role to an administrative one. Marty cares for a child during the day while managing additional caregiving responsibilities for her MBA FPX 5007 Assessment 3 declining parents. However, concerns have been raised about her frequent tardiness, unprofessional behavior, and inability to adhere to her doctor’s recommendations for sleep apnea treatment despite having access to a CPAP machine.

Her actions have strained relationships with her boss, co-workers, and hospital case managers, resulting in workplace tension. Marty’s absences due to back pain and grief, coupled with her supervisor’s lack of response to her Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requests, have exacerbated an already unfriendly work environment.

Leadership Theory or Strategy

The Situational Leadership Theory (SLT)

The Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) is a suitable approach to address the issues in this case study. Developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard, SLT emphasizes that leaders must adapt their leadership style based on the capabilities and circumstances of their subordinates (Funk, 2022).

In Marty’s case, her supervisor must evaluate her challenges and readiness to handle her responsibilities effectively. The SLT approach encourages leaders to be flexible, understanding, and supportive when dealing with employees facing unique challenges.

Given Marty’s struggles, the supervisor should adopt a supportive and empathetic leadership style. By acknowledging Marty’s situation and offering practical solutions, such as flexible work hours or counseling support, the supervisor can motivate her to improve her performance. This approach will foster a more collaborative and positive work environment, benefiting the entire nursing team (Kock et al., 2019).

Supporting Marty Through SLT

To implement the SLT approach effectively, the supervisor should:

1. Engage with Marty Directly: Initiate open and supportive conversations to understand Marty’s challenges fully.
2. Evaluate Marty’s Readiness: Assess Marty’s capacity to handle her workload and identify areas where support is needed.
3. Offer Practical Solutions: Provide counseling resources, adjust working hours, or recommend employee assistance programs (EAP) to help Marty manage her caregiving and health issues.
4. Provide Feedback and Guidance: Offer constructive feedback and monitor Marty’s progress while maintaining open communication.

By implementing the SLT, the supervisor can create a supportive environment that addresses Marty’s needs, improves team dynamics, and enhances patient care outcomes (Wuryani et al., 2021).

Application of Leadership Theory or Strategy

Addressing Marty’s Challenges

The SLT framework provides a structured approach to resolving Marty’s performance issues. The supervisor should begin by engaging Marty in a private discussion to understand her personal and professional struggles better. By fostering an environment of trust and understanding, the supervisor can encourage Marty to share her challenges and explore potential solutions.

Practical interventions may include recommending counseling services, adjusting her work schedule to accommodate caregiving responsibilities, or helping her manage her sleep apnea effectively. Offering these solutions demonstrates empathy and support, which can motivate Marty to improve her performance (Al‐Hamdan et al., 2021).

Providing Ongoing Support and Feedback

To ensure continuous improvement, the supervisor should provide consistent feedback and guidance. Descriptive feedback on achievable goals can help Marty feel more confident in her role and improve her professional performance. Additionally, the supervisor should celebrate Marty’s progress and provide positive reinforcement to boost her morale and job satisfaction (El Hussein & Ha, 2023).

By applying the SLT approach, the supervisor can adapt their leadership style to meet Marty’s specific needs, fostering a healthier and more productive work environment.

Theory’s Applicability

Research supports the effectiveness of the SLT in addressing leadership challenges in healthcare settings. Supervisors can create a more supportive and productive team environment by adapting leadership strategies to individual circumstances. Studies highlight the importance of flexible leadership in improving employee performance, fostering teamwork, and enhancing overall organizational outcomes (Alsaqqa & Level, 2020).

In Marty’s case, the SLT can help the supervisor tailor their leadership approach to address her challenges while promoting a positive workplace culture. This strategy benefits Marty and improves team dynamics, patient care quality, and organizational performance (Kozachuk & Conley, 2020).

Organizational Change Model

Lewin’s Change Management Model

Lewin’s Change Management Model can complement the SLT approach by providing a structured framework for implementing change. The model includes three key phases: Unfreezing, Changing, and Refreezing (Etareri, 2022).

1. Unfreezing: Raise awareness about Marty’s performance issues and their impact on the team and patient care. Encourage open communication to align the team’s attitudes toward positive change.
2. Changing: Implement the SLT approach by offering Marty support, feedback, and practical solutions to address her challenges. Encourage teamwork and collaboration to foster a healthier work environment.
3. Refreezing: Reinforce the changes by celebrating Marty’s progress, providing ongoing support, and promoting a positive workplace culture.

By integrating Lewin’s model with the SLT, the supervisor can implement lasting changes that benefit Marty, her colleagues, and the organization (Santos et al., 2022).

Health Care Policy and Legislation

The Role of FMLA

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is critical in addressing Marty’s situation. FMLA allows employees to take unpaid leave for qualifying family and health-related issues (Case & Newquist, 2019). Marty’s supervisor must recognize her right to seek FMLA benefits while balancing performance expectations.

Additional Support Programs

Policies like the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can further support Marty. MACRA focuses on improving care coordination, which aligns with Marty’s caregiving responsibilities, while EAP offers resources to help employees manage personal and workplace challenges (Compton & McManus, 2022).

By leveraging these policies, the supervisor can provide Marty with the support she needs to effectively balance her professional and personal responsibilities.

Conclusion

The case study highlights a significant nursing leadership challenge that requires a thoughtful and adaptive intervention strategy. By applying the Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) and integrating Lewin’s Change Management Model, the supervisor can address Marty’s challenges while fostering a supportive workplace environment.

Healthcare policies like FMLA, MACRA, and EAP provide the necessary framework to support Marty’s needs. Implementing these strategies will resolve Marty’s performance issues and improve team dynamics, patient outcomes, and overall organizational performance.

This evaluation of MBA FPX 5007 Assessment 3 demonstrates that leadership flexibility, empathy, and effective change management are essential for overcoming workplace challenges and fostering professional growth.

Read more MBA FPX 5007 Assessment 2 Managing the Toxic Leader about for complete information about this class.

References

Al‐Hamdan, Z. M., Alyahia, M., Al‐Maaitah, R., Alhamdan, M., Faouri, I., Al‐Smadi, A. M., & Bawadi, H. (2021). The relationship between emotional intelligence and nurse–nurse collaboration. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 53(5).

https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12687

Alsaqqa, H., & Level, M. (2020). The situational leadership for the three realities of healthcare organizations (a perspective view). Journal of Health Systems and Policies, 2(2).

https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1248916

Case, J., & Newquist, J. (2019). Family Medical Leave Act: The impacts on family relationships. School of Human Sciences Research Showcase.

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/shsrs/2019/poster/5/

Compton, R., & McManus, J. (2022). Employee Assistance Programs in a changing world. Occupational Health and Well-being: Challenges and Opportunities in Theory and Practice., 124–136.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003172895-13

El Hussein, M. T., & Ha, C. (2023). Facilitators and barriers to the transition from registered nurse to nurse practitioner in Canada. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Publish Ahead of Print (6).

https://doi.org/10.1097/jxx.0000000000000868

Etareri, L. (2022). An analysis framework of change management. Medicon Engineering Themes, 3(1).

https://doi.org/10.55162/mcet.03.056

Funk, P. (2022). Leadership theories traits into the situational leadership model. ScienceOpen Preprints.

https://doi.org/10.14293/s2199-1006.1.sor-.ppqzril.v1

Kelley, E., Lipscomb, R., Valdez, J., Patil, N., & Coustasse, A. (2019). Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act and Rural Hospitals. The Health Care Manager, 38(3), 197–205.

https://doi.org/10.1097/hcm.0000000000000267

Kock, N., Mayfield, M., Mayfield, J., Sexton, S., & De La Garza, L. M. (2019). Empathetic leadership: How leader emotional support and understanding influences follower performance. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 26(2), 217–236.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051818806290

Kozachuk, L. A., & Conley, A. H. (2020). Development-oriented situational supervision: A leadership approach to supervision in counselor education. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 8(1), 1–12.

https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716x.2020.1835586

Linton, M., & Koonmen, J. (2020). Self-care is an ethical obligation for nurses. Nursing Ethics, 27(8), 1694–1702.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020940371

Santos, E., Queiroz, M., Borini, F. M., Carvalho, D., & Dutra, J. S. (2022). The journey of business transformation: Unfreeze, change and refreeze – A multiple case study. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 36(1).

https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-03-2022-0063

Tang, K. N. (2019). Change Management. Leadership and Change Management, 1(1), 47–55.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8902-3_5

Wuryani, E., Rodli, A. F., Sutarsi, S., Dewi, N. N., & Arif, D. (2021). Analysis of decision support system on situational leadership styles on work motivation and employee performance. Management Science Letters, 11(2), 365–372.

https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.9.033