DQ: Your staff have come to you with several requests for new equipment for the nursing unit NUR 621 Topic 1 Discussion 2

 
In some work settings nurse managers have a high influence on the units budget, and are able to make request and changes based on the units needs (Penner, 2017). When nurses come with request for different supples the nurse manager must look at what is most important and help increase quality care in the patients. I would think that it should not only be up to the nurse manager on what equipment is needed over the other. First we should look at the cost of the equipment and see if there is extra money in the budget to pay for the asked equipment. I would then take this to our Unit Council so that the entire team has a say in what they feel they need first if the budget allows. Unit Council gives employees a say and is important for moral of the staff (Shiskowsky & Krugman, 2016). It takes the decision-making process from authorative to a shared process (Shiskowsky & Krugman, 2016). The nurse manager could also look into budget adjustments and cancel things that are not needed at this time in order to have the funds for the new equipment (Penner, 2017). Explaining cost to the council and what equipment can be afford now as apposed to the other ones to be budgeted for the following year, can help staff feel like they get a say in what they feel is needed first and what can wait.

References

Penner, S. J. (2017). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.

Shiskowsky, K., & Krugman, M. (2016, January 13). Jump-starting unit-based councils. American Nurse. https://www.myamericannurse.com/jump-starting-unit-based-councils/