The Characteristics Of Organizational Structure In Nursing

1. What type organizational structure does the facility you are precepting at use? How did you decide? The type of organizational structure that Willis Knighton Bossier (WKB) uses is the matrix structure. The matrix organizational structure has a vertical and a horizontal chain of command. (Marquis and Huston, 2015, p.315). This is the characteristic of the organizational structure at WKB because each floor/department has a similar chain of command. The patient care coordinator (PCC), who is in charge of the all the staff on his/her unit, is responsible for creating the staff schedule, and acts as an advocate for all patients. The PCC reports to the head nurse supervisor, who then reports to the superior. The head nurse supervisor is in charge

How can nursing as a profession best improve its power base? Why? There are many different measures that can be taken to improve the power base for the nursing profession such as, higher education requirements and nurses recognizing that they are leaders. Higher education and knowledge of nurses is substantial to increase the power base because the more educated a society is, the more power that society can hold. The distinctive outlook is also significant to improve the power base because of the critical thinking skills, scientific knowledge and sense of care that nurses provide. It would be beneficial for all nurses to join the various organizations that advocate for nurses and the nursing profession because it is common knowledge that there is more power in groups. Ponte et al. (2007) explains that the nursing profession as a whole can establish power when nurses are “engaged in patient care, administrative leadership, teaching, and research”. They also identified several characteristics of a powerful professional practice including the aforementioned qualities of nurses as well as developing an impeccable character, collaborating effectively with other members of the healthcare team, participating in continuing education and skill development, and influencing decisions and resource allocation (Ponte et al., 2007). Nurses as individuals can work to improve the power base for nurses by adopting and maintaining the highest professional standards possible. According to

However, when they lack the official status of a leader, they often fail to see their own strengths and make only limited efforts to establish a personal power base (p. 296).

In order to improve the power base set in the nursing field, it is imperative to teach upcoming nurses that they are leaders, even if they are not given a title of management. A leadership course should be a requirement in nursing programs, which will allow nurses to learn ways to adapt as a leader. All of these components are important to improving the power base but if the desire for change amongst the consumers and providers is not present, quality care that citizens want and deserve will not make its presence (Marquis and Huston, 2015,