DIRECTING

1. How do you plan your schedule of activities? Who are those involved in making

the plan?

In order to plan, you should involve your staff nurses. It is not only the

responsibity of nurse supervisor to do the planning, or the top management, but it

should be inclusive. You involve the staff nurses who are actually carrying out the

task in order for you to come up with a very good and workable plan of activities.

Also, time management is very important.

Follow-Up Question: What qualities of a staff you want to work with in making a

plan?

** There is only 1 thing I want to be with a staff, and it is all about FLEXIBILITY. I do

not require my nurse staff to become competent, because at the end of the day it is

one of the requirement prior of employment. When you apply to work, you undergo

screening, being competent is already given. So for me, I want flexible staff. I want

them to develop most especially during this time of pandemic. For example, If you

are my staff and I tell you.. “ You go and have a duty on Covid ward for 7 days, and

that you will be isolated after your duty for 14 days, (you go)” If you are an O.R

nurse, but due to the limitation of staff you are being pulled out to have your duty on

Surgery ward, then you go. That is being a flexible for me. We nurses are generalist. I

do not want staff nurses who are not flexible, because if you are not flexible or if you

always complain, you are not compliant. Always bear in mind when I say flexible,
that always involve compliance. And when I say compliance, that underscore with

your RESPECT to your subordinates or supervisor.

-What are the factors you need to consider in planning the schedule? // Do you

encounter problems when making the plan? // What are some of the problems

and what actions or strategies do you take actions in dealing with them?

There are many times now that we encounter that our plan is not workable

due to a lot of factors; First one is budget or financial resource. If our budget is not

enough, we need to re-align our plan. That this we need also to seek the approval of

those people who are governing the budgeting to approved our plan.

Another is the manpower. Because we need to consider their availability of

the staff. Because it is not just about giving additional responsibilities to your staff

for a particular plan, we need also to consider our manpower. What is for some

reason, they are on quarantine, what if majority of your manpower is on night duty,

how will they able to carry out planned activities on that matter. Another one is the

time. Because most of the time the schedule of the nurse staff do not match on the

plan. So we need to re-align our plan if necessary.

Follow-Up Question: During your managerial experience, what is the most

challenging problem that you encounter in working in the health care industry,

and did it become a hindrance in doing your plan?

 Yes. Number one problem is the attitude of different staff nurses. I can really

see attitude of staff nurses as one of the major problem in our division. Skills and

knowledge is not the problem but the attitude, because it is something that I cannot

control by our own selves. Because the behaviour of an individual is within self and

it something that I cannot dictate, that is why it is one of the challenging problems in

dealing with the plan.

-Do you find your strategies effective? (Answered already in organizing)

2. Do you follow a certain schedule in scheduling your staff? Do you find it

helpful? // Had there been concerns/problems you encountered in scheduling

your staff?

Yes. Pre-pandemic we have the 8 hours duty per shift. That is 3 days duty and

1 day off. During pandemic, flexibility speaking because of the shortage of staff

during this pandemic we decided to change our scheduling pattern into 12 hours

duty per shift. That is 2 days duty, 2 days off. We also ask for requirements in the

civil service that we need to render 48 hours per week. And I can say it is flexible,

not unlike the offices they need to report Monday-Friday only to complete the 40

hours per week. But in the nursing service, its flexible because staff nurses needs to

report during the night, need to report during the weekends and even the holidays.

Speaking of nursing service, even if you are the nurse supervisor, NO HOLIDAYS.
Follow-Up Question: Regarding the holidays, do you have any differential in

pays?

As far as I am concern, there is no overtime pay in the government. The

implementation of Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, aside from our basic pay,

we received 25% of our basic salary in addition to our basic pay, and that is

monthly. And also other benefits set by the government. The only difference is, as

health workers we have the Magna Carta that gives hazard pay every month. One of

the silver linings of this pandemic is the upgrade of salary nurses in the government

service. From SG 11 salary (around 22-23k) to SG 15 salary (around 33k) which

started last year (2020). That is one thing that out nurse leaders fought for how

many years. It is also in law RA 9173 in 2020, indicated that entry level nurses must

receive salary not less than SG 15.

Follow-Up Question: As a nurse manager, if your responsibilities are not

appropriately managed, what type of barriers would staff begins to encounter

down the road?

I personally experienced as a nurse manager, it’s the compliance of the staff.

All plans are workable, all factors are there, but one of the problem is the

compliance of staff. That is why we are trying our best to correct those

misbehaviours of our staff. Majority of our staff are belong to the young generation

(20-30 y/o) that is why there were a lot of factors like (time zone, different

priorities) that could hinder the accomplishment of our desired goal in the plan.
3. How often do you supervise your subordinates?

Every now and then. And the use of technology is one of the key in the fulfilment in

the supervisory functions. That is the use of our group chats. They can raise their concern

anytime when I am not around. For example; There is no available bed, oxygen etc…; So

right there and then I can intervene and be able to interact with them. Being a nurse

supervisor, as a public servant, you should be committed to serve 24/7 most especially if

you are assuming the managerial position. Because the higher the position that you have,

the greater the responsibility that you have. It is not because you are assigned as a

manager, you are sitting comfortably. It’s a wrong conception of the majority. That as a

supervisor, you need to consider all of the aspects and problem in the health care industry.

Comparing to staff nurses, they are only concerned to the time that they are having their

duty, and after that they can rest and sleep. But when it comes to nurse supervisor, it is

more than that.

4. When do you delegate tasks or activities to your staff? What principle/s do you

consider in delegating?

In delegation of tasks, you consider the competency, capability and the attitude of

staff nurse. During your BSN years, your instructors are moulding your KSA. And that is

same thing in nursing service, in actual clinical practice. It’s important to consider the

knowledge, the skills and the attitude. I would like to highlight ATTITUDE. When I say

attitude, it is the willingness of staff nurses. In hour’s division, there were a lot of activities

that needs to be delegated beyond the prescribed roles and responsibilities of a particular
staff nurse. Working in government entails a lot of effort and sacrifices that you cannot

avoid some delegated task will assigned to you. There will be a lot additional workload, but

that is free of charge. There is no additional compensation if you are given additional

workload. That is why compliance falls under attitude of staff nurses in health care setting.

But in an organization to be successful, it requires staff who are always on to go.

Follow-Up Question: Since you mentioned that the most challenging concern is the

attitude of staff nurses, how do you provide feedback to your staff when they make

mistake or have an opportunity to improve on the delegated task?

Communication is important. I communicate to my concerned staff. When I say

communication it should be done in the best possible way by being professional enough

without violating the right of the staff. Considered the right of your staff, so it is important

to weigh the pros and the cons, and then talk to you staff nicely. Even though what mistake

could be, it is always necessary to respect their right as you talk your staff. Ofcourse, in

order for you to be respected as nurse supervisor, you respect them also. And in dealing

with situations encountered by a particular staff, always important you need to do proper

communication.

5. What are your ways to collectively unit your staff?

Very important is the unity in the achievement of our goals, objectives, mission, vision in

our organization. One strategy that we thought is the reward system. To reward your staff, mean to

equates your compliance to your staff nurses. That’s 100 % to give them rewards, not necessarily
monitary rewards but rewards in such a way that they will be enlighten with that. Ex. You give

them extra leave when they comply. But this would always depend on the situation.

Follow up question: What are those forms of rewards that you give sir?

In the department since the budgeting is concerned, its not always a monitary rewards but

it means of appreciating there effort is a one thing of a reward for them, saying very good , keep it

up, job well done my staff nurses, tapping their back while rubbing there hands are some of

rewarding their hard work. Another thing is that you give them extra leave as the situation permits

us and giving them certificates during the awarding ceremony for a best performing staff nurses

and also we organize programs that would enjoined the deserving staff. Ex. You treat them by

organizing dinner, meeting, activities, parties that are in lines with the qualities and objectives of

the department as always. There are these nurses that are not put into lime light which means that

not being recognize, that is why we organize an event that would surely give them eagerness to join

as they will have there time to show their talents with no discrimination. It is not always a financial

aspect when it comes to rewards.

Follow up question: Did you notice a boosting morale or any motivation in boosting of the staff

nurse?

Yes, boosting morale of the staff nurses is one way to motivate them. It should always put

into consideration when it comes to planning about the development of your staff. Even if staff

commited mistake, communication is always a key. You talk to staff or concerned staff in such a way

that will not offend them, instead boost their morale in doing much better next time. Always respect

him/her is the best possible way will boost their morale. In the midst of the pandemic, lot of nurses

struggle with their mental healt, so as a way of this concern the department coordinated with the

psychology section , to come up with activity that will help them maintain their sanity.
6. how do you usually communicate with your subordinates? How often do you communicate

with them and how is the flow of the communication? Are there some forms of communication

do you use such as verbal, non-verbal, written, listening or visual?

Yes, and it is the combination of all forms. But when it comes to the concerns of the staff, we

do it in a private manner. We privately talk to the staff by letting him/her explain, investigate the

case and solve the problem silently to practice confidentiality and professionalism. We as

supervisors should always be at the neutral position and should always be fair to both sides. The

flow of the communication is like this, concerned staff nurse should first report to the charge nurse

and the charge nurse will be the one to report to us supervisors and these supervisors will proceed

to the top chief nurse. There are instances that this staff nurse will automatically report the concern

to the top management depends in the scenario. But for uniformity or as the standard process we

do follow the flow of communication. It still varies depending on the situation.

Follow up questions: Have you ever met barriers or did you ever encounter misunderstanding

with your subordinates? If you do, how did you handle such?

Yes, in the workplace, you cannot totally avoid circumstances that you do misunderstanding

with your subordinates. There are instances that they misinterpret your actions, your way of

communication but its always reaching out with them, go in a private place and talk about things.

Follow up questions: With the background of leadership and management did help you a lot in

your position?

Yes, it is helpful for me. It is being enhance and being intensified when I had my master of

arts in nursing degree in prestigious institution. Because to be able to be a nurse manager, it is

required to have a master’s degree. Why it is needed? Because it involves higher form of learning,

that you have a wider understanding of things as compared to your staff who doesn’t have a
background in leadership and management. This is also a way of uplifting the capabilities which

helps me a lot.

Are there members of the organization who had violated your policies and rules? And how did you

deal with that?

Yes, there are those who violates the policies. Depending on the committed mistake or laps

then the nurse supervisor decides how do they respond to this concern. Because, supervisors have

their own ways in correcting lapses or mistakes. But we have policy that we use in common to

correct concerns. Whatever decision that supervisors make it should always in anchor with the

guidelines of the department on how to manage the staff.

Follow up questions: How is the decision-making of the organization? What are the factors you

need to consider in coming up with a decision?

Since I started my nursing profession way back 2013, decision making is one of the skills

that a nurse must possess. I can say that decision making is being learned through the experiences.

At the start for sure you will encounter hardship, but as you go along with your practice, it will

eventually be natural for you. It is habit for us supervisors because dealing with lives you need to be

good in decision making.

Follow up questions: Who makes the final decision?

In the org. the head of the department makes the final decision. But in the process, all

concerned are involved in the decision making and it is being talked religiously. It being agreed

upon all the members in the organization.