The nurse manager of a critical care unit must speak to a staff nurse about an employment issue, tardiness

The nurse manager of a critical care unit must speak to a staff nurse about an employment issue, tardiness.

Nearly every day during the past week, the staff nurse has been from 5 to 20 minutes late, missing portions of the daily client status conferences.

The manager had verbally counseled the staff nurse 3 months prior to the latest incidence of tardiness about the same issue.

When they meet, the nurse manager’s best approach to the staff nurse is to:
a- Send the staff nurse to the Human Resources Department for counseling
b- Ask the staff nurse to tell the manager about the facts surrounding the tardiness
c- Inform the staff nurse that, based on unreliability caused by tardiness issues, the nurse is terminated
d- Provide the staff nurse with a detailed notice of intent to terminate if any further incident of tardiness occurs

Answer D.

In general, the process for corrective action begins with an oral reprimand and then a written reprimand.

In addition to the written reprimand, the manager should be prepared to work with the staff nurse to develop a plan of action.

The manager must notify the staff nurse, in writing, of the potential for termination based on tardiness.
If this were the first instance, the manager would ask the staff nurse to describe the facts surrounding the tardiness in order for the manager to assist the staff nurse with problem-solving strategies or to examine the need for moving the staff nurse to a different shift, if indicated.

Managers are expected to deal with personnel issues, and tardiness is a frequent problem that managers face.

Human resources serves as a support to the actions of the manager, but does not assume the role of dealing with the employee.

Managers must give notice prior to termination as a risk management strategy.