Student Name
Capella University
NURS-FPX 5007 Leadership for Nursing Practice
Prof. Name
Date
Performance Improvement Plan Development
Evaluating Leadership Practices to Address the Scenario
Effective leadership is a determining factor in shaping employee performance, maintaining accountability, and building a constructive workplace culture. In the case of Sarah Miller, two leadership approaches are particularly applicable: transformational leadership and servant leadership.
Transformational leadership emphasizes motivating employees through role modeling, ethical standards, and a shared sense of purpose. It focuses on aligning staff behavior with organizational values while promoting accountability and professional growth (Gebreheat et al., 2023). In this scenario, a nurse manager applying this approach would engage Sarah in a structured, supportive dialogue that clearly defines expectations related to her managerial role. This includes clarifying how her behavior influences both resident outcomes and team performance. The goal is to help Sarah internalize Serenity Senior Care’s mission while improving her leadership consistency.
Servant leadership shifts the focus toward prioritizing employee needs, development, and well-being to improve overall performance outcomes. It encourages leaders to actively support staff through mentorship, empathy, and resource provision (Demeke et al., 2024). In Sarah’s case, this approach may reduce resistance to feedback by addressing underlying professional gaps and challenges. When employees feel supported, they are more likely to adopt patient-centered practices, improve collaboration, and strengthen their contribution to care delivery quality.
Standards of Professional Performance Violated
What ANA standards were not met in this case?
Sarah Miller’s performance concerns directly conflict with two key American Nurses Association (ANA) professional standards: collaboration and quality of practice (ANA, 2020).
Collaboration is essential in nursing practice because it ensures coordinated care delivery and reduces clinical risks. However, Sarah’s unwillingness to engage constructively with colleagues and her consistently negative interpersonal behavior weaken team cohesion. This breakdown in teamwork may also increase the risk of communication errors and negatively affect patient safety.
Quality of practice focuses on safe, evidence-based care delivery, including accurate documentation and adherence to clinical safety protocols. Sarah’s incomplete documentation and inconsistent implementation of fall prevention strategies present significant safety risks for residents. Documentation accuracy is essential for continuity of care and risk mitigation, particularly in long-term care environments (Demsash et al., 2023). These deficiencies highlight an urgent need for corrective action to align her practice with organizational and professional standards.
Action Plan for Improving Employee Performance
What interventions will improve Sarah Miller’s performance?
A structured Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is required to address the identified performance gaps and support professional development while maintaining patient safety standards. The plan focuses on four primary domains: resident engagement, documentation accuracy, teamwork, and resident safety.
Sarah is expected to demonstrate measurable improvement in communication with residents by adopting a more empathetic, respectful, and patient-centered approach. She must also ensure that documentation is complete, accurate, and compliant with organizational standards. In addition, she is required to actively participate in team-based communication and demonstrate consistent adherence to fall prevention protocols.
NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 2 Managing the Toxic Leader
To support these expectations, targeted interventions will be implemented:
- Documentation skills workshop to improve accuracy and compliance
- TeamSTEPPS training to strengthen communication and interdisciplinary collaboration (Hassan et al., 2024)
- Fall prevention training program to reduce safety risks and near-fall incidents
- Weekly mentorship sessions with a senior nurse for feedback and performance coaching
Performance will be monitored over an eight-week period using structured evaluations. Adjustments to the plan will be made based on progress data, observed behavior changes, and supervisory feedback.
This approach ensures that Sarah receives both corrective guidance and developmental support, aligning her performance with Serenity Senior Care’s standards and improving overall care quality (Ojo & Thiamwong, 2022).
NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 2 Managing the Toxic Leader
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
| Performance Area | Identified Issues | Proposed Action Plan | Evaluation Milestones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Care | Limited engagement with residents and frequent reports of impersonal communication | Participate in communication development training and patient-centered care workshops | Weekly supervisory feedback and resident satisfaction surveys |
| Documentation | Incomplete records and inconsistent accuracy affecting continuity of care | Attend documentation training and complete weekly chart audits | Weekly documentation review and compliance tracking over 8 weeks |
| Teamwork | Poor collaboration and negative interactions with colleagues | Complete TeamSTEPPS communication and teamwork training | Ongoing peer feedback and team performance evaluation |
| Resident Safety | Repeated near-fall incidents and inconsistent use of safety measures | Complete fall prevention training and apply at least two safety interventions per shift | Incident tracking and direct observation of safety compliance |
Conclusion
The Performance Improvement Plan designed for Sarah Miller establishes a structured pathway to correct performance deficits and align her practice with Serenity Senior Care’s standards. By integrating leadership support, targeted training, and continuous monitoring, the plan addresses key gaps in communication, documentation, teamwork, and patient safety. This structured intervention not only supports individual professional growth but also strengthens organizational outcomes by reinforcing safe, collaborative, and patient-centered care delivery.
References
ANA. (2020). ANA principles. ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/official-position-statements/ana-principles/
Demeke, G. K., Engen, M. van, & Markos, S. (2024). Servant leadership in the healthcare literature: A systematic review. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 16(16), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.2147/jhl.s440160
NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 2 Managing the Toxic Leader
Demsash, A. W., Kassie, S. Y., Dubale, A. T., Chereka, A. A., Ngusie, H. S., Hunde, M. K., Emanu, M. D., Shibabaw, A. A., & Walle, A. D. (2023). Health professionals’ routine practice documentation and its associated factors in a resource-limited setting: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 30(1), e100699. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjhci-2022-100699
Gebreheat, G., Teame, H., & Costa, E. (2023). The impact of transformational leadership style on nurses’ job satisfaction: An integrative review. SAGE Open Nursing, 9(2). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23779608231197428
Hassan, A. E., Mohammed, F. A., Zakaria, A. M., & Ibrahim, I. A. (2024). Evaluating the effect of TeamSTEPPS on teamwork perceptions and patient safety culture among newly graduated nurses. BMC Nursing, 23(1), 170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01850-y
NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 2 Managing the Toxic Leader
Ojo, E. O., & Thiamwong, L. (2022). Effects of nurse-led fall prevention programs for older adults: A systematic review. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 26(3), 417. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9432804/