Case Study Analysis

Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the

General Surgery Unit

Communication for Management

A report submitted to
Prof. Shubhda Arora

Submitted By:
Varun Singla
PGP35096
Section B
 Letter of Transmittal

Varun Singla
PGP35096
Section B
IIM Lucknow

31 July 2019

Dear, Dr. Shubhda Arora

This is my submission for the project assignment on case study Barbara Norris: Leading
Change in the General Surgery Unit. The problem stated in this case study is about the low
employee satisfaction scores, highest employee turnover rate and declining patient
satisfaction scores of General Surgery Unit at Eastern Massachusetts University Hospital.
Barbara Norris as nurse manager identified few reasons pertaining to the above-mentioned
problem such as insufficient staff, hiring freeze, no overtime allowance, culture of
confrontation, blaming and favoritism among nurses, inappropriate appraisal policy, lack of
training and skills and others.
My key recommendations for the above-mentioned problems are,
1. Forms groups of senior and junior nurses and focus more on collaborative learning to
enhance knowledge and skills
2. Design a standard appraisal policy for employees across all units and evaluate them
based on certain parameters. Proper feedbacks must be addressed to employees to make them
aware about areas to be worked on.
3. 1:1 mentorship programme can be executed for focused training and learning curve

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
 Executive Summary

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
 Content

Situational Analysis....................................................................................................................1
Macro Analysis:.................................................................................................................................1
Micro Analysis..................................................................................................................................1
Problem Statement.....................................................................................................................2
The Options................................................................................................................................3
Criteria for Evaluation................................................................................................................4
Evaluation of Options................................................................................................................5
The Recommendation................................................................................................................6
Action Plan.................................................................................................................................7

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
Situational Analysis
The situation presented in the case can be analysed using 2 categories -

Macro Analysis:
 There is an economic downturn in the economy leading to crisis situation at EMU.
 Rising costs coupled with decreased revenue has led to hiring freeze, decreased shift
differentials and enaction of no overtime compensation at EMU.
 Staff is stressed and tensions are growing in the halls of EMU

Micro Analysis
 General Surgery Unit (GSU) has lowest employee satisfaction score and highest
turnover rate among all the departments.
 The unit is also short-staffed (only 20/25 RN positions filled) with high stress level
and low morale among employees.
 Patient satisfaction scores are declining steadily over the past few years.
 There is an atmosphere of animosity in the unit which has led to lack of collaboration
and team work, interpersonal and intergroup conflict, and lack of respect towards each
other.
 There is dissatisfaction among employees in regards to staffing levels and
performance review procedures with some of them discontented about same increase
in salary irrespective of performance.
 Also, there is lack of employee involvement and participation, and no rewards and
recognition mechanism.

Problem Statement
 Task in hand is to build a positive work environment in the unit that can foster
collaboration and teamwork, and improve team cohesion
 There is also a need to revamp the performance management system which can
address employees’ concerns about lack of appreciation, transparency etc.
 Create a system which can bring back the focus on patient care and hence increase
patient satisfaction score.

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
The Options
1. Creation of a Mentor Program programme
2.
3. Grouping of nurses in such a manner that senior and junior nurses work together to
achieve collaborative learning and eventually lead to training and rise in patient
satisfaction scores
4. More sessions such as offsite must be conducted which will lead to understand the
problems of nurses and they will mutually be able solve problems.
5. Design a standard performance appraisal policy for nurses evaluating them on certain
parameters to make appraisal system impartial.
6. Hire a secretariat assistant to process paperwork and utilize the nursing staff only for
patient care
7. Form a new 1-1 mentorship programme, mapping 1 senior nurse with 1 junior nurse
8. Training of nursing staff from external agency for upliftment of knowledge and skills

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
Criteria for Evaluation

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
Evaluation of Options

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
The Recommendation

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit
Action Plan

CFM Case Study Analysis - Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit