Chapter 1 - Be Clear about your Responsibilities Be clear what 24-hour responsibility means Be clear about what makes
a good leader Make sure your decisions are informed decisions Clarify your objectives Understand your legal responsibilities Be
clear about your line manager's role Remember you are the patient's overall advocate Don't take on other people's pressures Balance
your clinical work with administrative duties Beware of the impace of your role on others
Chapter 2 - Define and prioritise
your workload Define your workload Organise your office Control your diary Keep your e-mails Cut interruptions Don't
waste time with unnecessary reading Reduce your meetings and get the best out of the ones you do attend Chair meetings effectively Learn
to let go through delegation Be proactive
Chapter 3 - Create a Positive Working Environment Have a plan Set meaningful
objectives with your team Be a good listener Feedback with sincerity Know your staff well Never talk disapprovingly of others Get
your staff to take more responsibility Have a system for dealing with patient's visitors Deal with conflict Implement clinical
supervision
Chapter 4 - Manage and Treat your Staff Well Get to know your HR advisor Write everything down Make appraisals
work Know how to handle unacceptable behaviour Deal with poor performance Know when and how to discipline Actively manage
sick leave Ensure all staff have appropriate training, development and support Inform and involve your team Implement self-rostering
Chapter
5 - Make Sure Care is Patient-Centred Maintain your clinical skills Ensure that all patients have a full assessments and care plan Be
clear about what health care assistants can and cannot do Eliminate long handovers Use task-orientated care only when appropriate Work
towards primary nursing Make sure patients are informed Improve care through audit and benchmarking Don't accept poor standards
of care when 'short-staffed' Take the lead on ward rounds
Chapter 6 - Get Your Budget Right Know what your budget is Prioritise
PAY Go through your budget statement each month Manage annual leave Manage your allowance for unplanned absence Plan your
study leave allowance Get your staff involved in NON PAY Be more active in the business planning process Don't do anything without
identified funding Meet reguarly with your finance advisor
Chapter 7 - Respond Well to Complaints Work on the content, not
number of complaints Take appropriate steps before you investigate Investigate sensitively Know when to stop the complaint investigation Consider
holding a meeting with the complainant Follow 6 key steps when meeting complainants Write a good final response letter If you
are stuck for words in starting your letter... If you are stuck for words in finishing your letter... Follow up the complaint with
action
Chapter 8 - Instigate a Rolling Recruitment Programme Review the post with the person who is leaving Write good adverts
and application packages Shortlist and arrange interviews properly Get the best out of the interview process Follow up all candidates
personally Arrange a good induction programme Continually explore all other avenues to get staff Don't discriminate Succession
plan Fully involve your team in all aspects of recruitment
Chapter 9 - Be Politically Aware Understand how health care is
managed nationally Know your board of directors and their priorities Choose your meetings carefully Network, and get to know
the right people Be diplomatic Talk of 'we' rather than 'I' Work with your director of nursing Get recognition for your work Choose
your mentor and mentees with care Plan ahead for your own needs
Chapter 10 - Look After Yourself Recognise symptoms of stress Recognise
and deal with any staff stress Get yourself a mentor set up a peer support group or action learning set Train up your deputy
ward manager Get a union representative or steward on your team Choose carefully who you talk to and what you say Get over mistakes
and move on Drink plenty of water and eat regularly Remember it's only a job
Chapter 11 - Be a Good Role Model Be smart Make
a good first impression Always smile and be positive Speak clearly Be relaxed and in control Make your writing distinguishable Be
aware of how others see you Set an example with your choice of language Never moan or gossip about others Don't stagnate
Chapter
12 - Manage your Manager Clarify expectations Work with, not against your manager Act, if an important decision has been made
without your consultation Act, if a change in another department has a 'knock on' effect in yours Don't be pressurised into taking
on extra work without funding If you are doing extra work without funding, take action Keep the communication channels open Write
good and timely reports Actively manage incidents, mistakes and accidents Know how to conduct a good investigation
Chapter
13 - Manage Difficult People and Situations Manage a difficult manager Deal with that problematic colleague Manage any allegations
of bullying or harrassment Manage staff complaints Make sure staff are not being used or abused by others Don't tolerate any
form of racism or discrimination Take action when staffing levels are dangerously low Break up any cliques Be specific about
expanding nursing roles Be proactive with enforced moves or mergers of services
Chapter 14 - Manage Difficult Staff Staff
who refuse to look professional or wear a uniform Staff who refuse to accept change Staff who can't seem to prioritise their work Staff
who are lazy Staff who have alcohol problems Members of staff who don't get on Staff who are careless and sloppy Staff who
manipulate situations for their own gain Staff who maon and whinge Staff who are continually late for duty
Chapter 15 -
Get the Best Advice Know where to go for legal advice Know where to go for professional advice Utilise the wide range of services
from the chaplaincy department Use but don't abuse the nurse specialists Help patients and relatives access the right advice Keep
up-to-date with risk management issues Consult policies, procedures and guidelines Maximise computer access Utilise the knowledge
and skills of your nursing colleagues Utilise the practice development team
Chapter 16 - Question External Directives Is
another link nurse role really needed? Has the bed manager consulted all other options? Is that audit really necessary? Has
your line manager questioned the decision? Are performance targets worth lowering the quality of care for? Are the senior managers
aware of the implications of their decision? Are consultant/specialist decisions always right? As your union steward for assistance Don't
hesitate in contacting the chief executive or other board directors if necessary Rely on your own common sense
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