Assignment task:
Sandy is the clinical manager of a 38-bed step-down cardiology unit. John is a staff nurse on the day shift who has worked for her for only 4 months. At his initial 3-month evaluation, there were no significant problems; his next evaluation will be on the 6-month anniversary of his hiring date. Over the past 3 weeks, John has been late for nearly every shift scheduled. He always laughs upon his arrival and behaves as if it is no big deal. At first, he was 10 to 15 minutes late for the report, but over the past week it has increased to 40 to 45 minutes. His excuses include that his alarm did not go off, that he had car trouble, and that he didn't sleep well the night before. This behavior has greatly affected staff morale, has required that he be given a separate report on the patients that he is scheduled to care for, and has delayed important medications and treatments. On occasion, it was also required that the night nurse put in overtime until John arrived. He has never called the floor to let them know that he might be late.
Explain your answers in detail and provide a theoretical, evidenced based rationale for your answers and with several examples.
1. What is Sandy's first step in addressing this absenteeism problem with John?
2. Who are Sandy's resources within the institution to clarify policy and procedure for employee discipline?
3. Does Sandy need to have an attorney present when counseling John?