A very young nurse has been promoted to nurse manager of an inpatient surgical unit. The nurse is concerned that older nurses may not respect the manager's authority because of the age difference. How can this nurse manager best exercise authority?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. Critical thinking is important for every RN, not just a manager and will not distinguish the manager's authority.
2. Giving clear assignments is a characteristic of authority. The young nurse who takes staff expertise into consideration when making assignments is likely to be more successful in leading the group.
3. Nurse managers do work in complex healthcare environments, but must create an appropriate organizational environment as a way of exercising authority.
4. In autocratic leadership, one person has all of the power. This is not a good approach for a younger leader to adopt when working with a group of older, more experienced nurses.

A Very Young Nurse Has Been Promoted to Nurse Manager