Running head: ANALYZING A LEADER

Analyzing a Leader
Jack Arnold and Haley VanWormer
Ferris State University

Analyzing a Leader
A leader is an individual who others see a quality in that draws one to follow. When
choosing this person, one looks for qualities of strength, knowledge, motivation, and ability to
communicate effectively. One form of a leader is a manager. As a manager, many other
responsibilities fall under their scope of control. To investigate more into what this role entails
and how one maintains these responsibilities, an interview was conducted with the manager of
the orthopedic/progressive unit on two-south at Spectrum Healths Butterworth Campus,
Amanda Bourdon. Bourdon started on the unit as a volunteer when in high-school. Upon
graduation, she was offered a position as a nursing aide. While working as an aide, Bourdon
attended college and received a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Grand Valley State

University and transitioned into the registered nurse role on the same unit. Bourdon also has
attained orthopedic nursing certification. After continuing work on 2 South, she advanced her
career to charge nurse, then nursing supervisor, and finally manager. Bourdon has spent all of
her 14 years at Spectrum Health on the current unit, so it is understandable when she refers to it
as her baby (A. Bourdon, personal communication, February 3, 2015).
Role and Responsibilities
As a manager of a Spectrum Health medical unit, the individual must agree to 24-hour
accountability. This means Bourdon carries a pager at all times and must be available when
called regardless of time. Some other major responsibilities include fiscal management of
nursing staff, policy and procedure development, unit based goal setting, standards of care
development, performance improvement, and employee recruitment and retention. The
organizational structure which Bourdon is consistent with is called a functional structure. A
functional structure is common in health care and comprises units providing similar care falling
under a common director or executive (Yoder-Wise, 2014). This is evidenced by Bourdon
reporting to a director who oversees several other units and the director reporting to the chief
executive nurse. Staff members who report to Bourdon include: nursing aides, unit secretaries,
unit aides, and registered nurses, all from her unit. The major role as manager is creation of
policy to deal with events experienced on the unit. An example of this was the implementation
of a bowel protocol which oversees patients last bowel movements and implements strategies to
deal with constipation. Another example is the no pass rule, this rule deals with call light times.
No team member is allowed to pass a call light without answering unless involved in a priority
situation. This minimizes patient wait times and increases patient satisfaction. Bourdon is

ANALYZING A LEADER

always sure to be involved in the role out of a new idea and makes sure to lead by example (A.
Bourdon, personal communication, February 3, 2015).
Communication
In an organization as big as Spectrum Health, communication is mandatory among
disciplines and staff. Bourdon uses an open door policy which allows staff to communicate any
ideas or concerns about the unit or issues with other staff. Some of the toughest communications
to deal with are the ones referred to as crucial conversations. Crucial conversations can take
place between co-workers or between management and staff. These conversations typically
involve strong emotions, have high stakes and generally involve a difference of opinion (Major,
Abderrahman, & Sweeney, 2013). This type of communication is designed to resolve differences
following a set of steps to achieve a resolution to the incident. Bourdon says she does not need
to use crucial conversations often, but when she does they work as designed.
Other areas where communication is critical is when new policies are rolled out. Every
staff member needs to be educated and demonstrate understanding in order for the roll out to be
successful. Bourdon said communication in large groups is one of the professional skills that she
has developed over the years that have helped out the most in her managerial role (A. Bourdon,
personal communication, February 3, 2015).
Knowledge of Health Care Environment
Knowledge of the environment is critical when working in health care. Bourdons
knowledge has come from learning each position being managed over hands on. Knowledge of
the health care environment is more than just knowing the positions; it is using evidence based
research to advance the nursing practice and increase patient satisfaction rates. Haughom (2015)
states three reasons why knowledge of the health care environment is important in healthcare.

ANALYZING A LEADER

First, it facilitates decision-making capabilities, second, it builds learning organizations by

making learning routine, and third, it stimulates cultural change and innovation. Bourdon
utilizes an approach similar to these steps when attempting to facilitate a change. Bourdon
requires evidence-based research first to support a proposal. By requiring this evidence it
facilitates the learning process by examining multiple proven methods and allowing her to
discard what has been disproven. By making change based on evidence and knowledge,
Bourdons patients benefit by receiving the most current care methods facilitating a better, more
healing health care environment. Proof was the implementation of a fall protocol for patients
that had been researched. Staff uses proven fall prevention methods and available staff runs to
bed and chair alarms when signaled. The proof was a reduction in falls on the unit since the
program was rolled out (A. Bourdon, personal communication, February 3, 2015).
Leadership
American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) lists five categories of key
leadership skills. Bourdon demonstrates many of these skills. One of the many characteristics
that come to mind is the ability to address ideas and concerns that should be addressed (The
American Organization of Nurse Executives [AONE], 2011). Bourdons unit helped to
implement a new policy on call lights. The policy consists of all staff taking responsibility for
every call light on the floor. When a call light rings, the first person to pass the room is
responsible to answer the patients needs, rather than let the patients nurse know the patients
need. Bourdon had a great role in implementing this policy. This has decreased the amount of
time call lights ring as well as decreased the amount of time it takes for patients to get their
needs met. The staff members on the floor also appreciate this policy. When the entire staff
works as a team to take care of patients needs it decreases the work load on each individual

ANALYZING A LEADER

nurse. This is just one example of how Bourdon has utilized one of the many skills needed to be
a good leader (A. Bourdon, personal communication, February 3, 2015).
Professionalism
As a leader, professionalism is an important part to the role. There are six categories that
fall under the AONE section of professionalism. These categories include personal and
professional accountability, career planning, ethics, evidence-based clinical and management
practice, advocacy, and active membership in professional organizations (AONE, 2011). During
the interview with Bourdon all of these categories were addressed. One area that is very
important is the category of ethics. In the profession of nursing it is very common to encounter
ethical dilemmas. When her staff is faced with an ethical problems she does all she can to help
them through the problem. Bourdon tries to help them feel at ease. There is also an ethical
committee on the unit which is responsible for helping with ethical dilemmas.
Another way Bourdon demonstrates the professional skills needed as a leader is by
holding herself and staff accountable for their actions. She explained the three strike system she
holds her staff accountable to. When the question of professional corrective action comes to call,
each staff member has the right to two incidences in a years time. If a third incidence occurs it
will be cause for termination. Bourdon states she holds all staff members to the policy. It helps
to hold everyone on the unit accountable for their actions (A. Bourdon, personal communication,
February 3, 2015).
Business Skills
A professional leader must also possess appropriate business skills. A few ways Bourdon
utilizes this skill is by using corrective action to manage workplace environment, creating
opportunities to include employees in decision-making processes, and by managing performance

ANALYZING A LEADER

through rewards and recognition. When implementing change on the unit, Bourdon is sure to
include the staff in the process. One way she does this is by incorporating different staff led
committees such as shared leadership and many more. She also stated it was important for both
the patients satisfactions scores as well as staff satisfaction scores to reflect equally well.
During the interview Bourdon stated, if you have happy and satisfied staff members, their work
will reflect that, which will in turn result in patient satisfaction (A. Bourdon, personal
communication, February 3, 2015). According to the AONE document, this is a significant part
to a leader with adequate business skills.
Conclusion
With the completion of this interview many characteristics of a quality leader were
analyzed. These characteristics include communication skills, knowledge of the healthcare
system, leadership skills, professionalism, and adequate business skills. Amanda Bourdon
possesses all of these qualities. Focused on supporting her staff as well as increasing patient
satisfaction, she has never worked anywhere else and states she feels like 2-south is her second
home. Though Bourdon is new to the manager role, she has done an excellent job of
transitioning into the position and is sure to remain at the helm for many years to come.

ANALYZING A LEADER

7
References

Haughom, J. (2015). Knowledge Management in Healthcare: Its More Important than You
Realize. Health Catalyst. Retrieved from https://www.healthcatalyst.com/enableknowledge-management-in-healthcare
Major, K., Abderrahman, E. A., & Sweeney, J. I. (2013, April). Crucial Conversations in the
Workplace. American Journal of Nursing, 113(4), 66-70.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000428750.94169.f3
The American Organization of Nurse Executives. (2011). The AONE Nurse Executive
Competencies., http://dx.doi.org/Retrieved from
Yoder-Wise, P. S. (2014). Leading and Managing in Nursing (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.