Case 2.1

Shaneika Newell

1. The steps I would take to ensure that the newly hired nurses understand the hospital’s organizational culture is by communicating the desired behaviors. Delivering high quality health care, being supportive of co-workers needs, balancing work-life priorities, practicing stress management techniques, and so forth through verbal and written communication of expectations as well as by role-modeling the desired behaviors on a daily basis. In order to avoid burnout an organizational culture is created that fosters trust, open communication, support, and stress management education for doctors, nurses, and staff. Some examples of supportive organizational cultures are, offering employees standard benefits such as medical, dental, and life insurance. Also, providing discounts at many local businesses, and hosting annual dinners celebrating employee’s dedication and service to the company.
2. Cultures are so elusive and hidden that they cannot be adequately diagnosed, managed, or changes. Many leaders believe they can have a major impact on an already-established organizational culture, but such cultural change requires a major commitment of resources and an influential and powerful leader. Because it takes difficult techniques, rare skills and considerable time to understand a culture and then additional time to change it, deliberate attempts at culture change are not really practical. Cultures sustain people throughout periods of difficulty and serve to ward off anxiety. One of the ways they do this is by providing continuity and stability. Thus, people will naturally resist change to a new culture.
3. As part of our Commitment to Caring, at UNC Health Care where I currently work, they have initiated the Hiring for Excellence program. The tools used in this program have proven effective in identifying candidates who best fit the positions for which they are applying. Through Hiring for Excellence, UNC is better able to select and retain outstanding team members whose contribution will further UNC Health Care’s mission to become the nation’s leading public academic medical center. Applicants selected to continue through the hiring process will be interviewed using behavioral-based questions. Candidates who prepare for this process prior to interviewing will increase their chances for a productive experience. I believe this is successful in creating a desired culture because, those hired using this method will help sustain the culture of extraordinary service and operational excellence at UNC hospital.