LaSandra Collins, is empowers professionals in competing effectively in the job market so that they can realize their career aspirations and goal. For many years, LaSandra worked in dead end jobs to make ends meet. It was after a Recruiter told her, “You are grossly underpaid for the education and experience you have,” that she turned her career around and decided to dedicate her life to helping others do the same.
In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, transparency and clear communication are vital for ensuring patient safety, operational efficiency, and employee satisfaction. Healthcare leaders are not only responsible for managing their teams but also for aligning their actions with the hospital's strategic goals. However, when a nurse manager withholds critical information from their team, the consequences can be far-reaching, affecting patient care, team performance, and overall organizational success. This article explores how the lack of transparency from a nurse manager can create significant barriers to achieving strategic objectives, using a real-world scenario to highlight the challenges faced by healthcare professionals, and offers strategies for leaders to navigate and resolve these issues.
Scenario
During a quarterly meeting, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) of a large hospital system met with a group of nurse managers and their teams to review the latest updates on patient care initiatives and operational goals. As the CNO began discussing the implementation of a new patient safety protocol, several nurses from the West Wing exchanged puzzled glances. Noticing their confusion, the CNO paused and asked, "Is everyone familiar with this protocol?"
One of the nurses cautiously replied, "We haven’t received any information about this. It’s the first time we’re hearing about it."
Surprised, the CNO asked, “When was your last update from your manager?”
The nurses hesitated, exchanging looks before one of them spoke up, “It’s been a while. We don’t always get updates from our Nurse Manager on these kinds of things.”
After the meeting, the CNO met privately with the nursing team to investigate further. The nurses revealed several instances where their manager had failed to communicate critical information, resulting in confusion, missed deadlines, and potential risks to patient safety. Specific examples included:
1. Uncommunicated changes to patient care protocols
The Nurse Manager did not share updates regarding new infection control procedures, leaving the team unaware of important adjustments that could have prevented patient infections.
2. Failure to relay staffing adjustments
When shifts were changed to accommodate seasonal patient surges, the Nurse Manager did not inform the team, resulting in understaffing during critical periods and overburdened staff who were unaware of available support.
3. Omission of budgetary constraints
The Nurse Manager failed to inform the team about recent cuts to the department’s budget, which affected the availability of new equipment and resources. As a result, nurses were forced to work with outdated tools, impacting the quality of care they could
provide.
4. Delayed communication on quality metrics
Despite hospital-wide efforts to improve patient satisfaction scores, the Nurse Manager did not share important feedback and quality metrics, leaving the team unaware of areas for improvement.
The CNO realized that the Nurse Manager’s lack of transparency was not only hindering the team’s ability to perform effectively but also jeopardizing patient outcomes.
The problem: A lack of transparency
The Nurse Manager’s actions in this scenario can be categorized as information hoarding, which is detrimental in any healthcare setting. Withholding critical information can have a direct impact on patient safety and the team’s ability to perform their roles effectively. The consequences of this behavior include:
1. Inability to provide quality care
Healthcare professionals rely on accurate, up-to-date information to make informed decisions about patient care. Without critical updates, nurses are left vulnerable to making errors or missing key steps in protocols that are essential to patient safety.
2. Loss of credibility
When nurses are unable to provide proper care due to a lack of information, their credibility is compromised. This can lead to a loss of trust between patients, the healthcare team, and hospital leadership.
3. Decreased morale and engagement
Nurses who feel they are being left in the dark may become frustrated, leading to disengagement and reduced morale. In a high-stakes environment like healthcare, low morale can have a direct impact on both patient outcomes and staff retention.
The impact on the organization
The Nurse Manager’s actions extend beyond the immediate team, affecting the entire hospital system. Here’s how:
1. Increased patient safety risks
When critical care protocols are not communicated, patient safety is jeopardized. This can lead to an increase in medical errors, infections, and other adverse outcomes that harm patients and damage the hospital’s reputation.
2. Operational inefficiency
Miscommunication or a lack of information disrupts the workflow and efficiency of the healthcare team. Nurses may find themselves duplicating tasks, working with inadequate resources, or spending time trying to fill knowledge gaps, all of which slow down patient care
3. Decreased patient satisfaction
When frontline staff is not well-informed, patients notice. Misaligned care, confusion about procedures, and lack of timely attention can lead to poor patient experiences and low satisfaction scores.
How the nursing team can respond strategically
Despite the challenges created by the Nurse Manager’s withholding of information, the nursing team can take steps to be proactive and mitigate the impact:
1. Direct communication with leadership
Nurses can build direct lines of communication with hospital leadership, such as the CNO or department heads. Regular check-ins and updates from leadership can help ensure that critical information reaches the team, even if the Nurse Manager is not providing it.
2. Request access to critical meetings
Nurses can advocate for attending strategic meetings or requesting summaries of key decisions that affect their work. This will empower them to stay informed and better anticipate changes in patient care protocols.
3. Foster internal collaboration
The nursing team can create informal channels of communication, such as regular huddles or shared documents, where team members can exchange information and updates. This helps ensure that everyone stays informed, even in the absence of official communication from the manager.
How the CNO should address the issue
The CNO, having uncovered this issue, must take decisive action to correct the situation:
1. Provide feedback to the nurse manager
The CNO should address the issue directly with the Nurse Manager, offering clear feedback on how her withholding of information is affecting the team’s performance and patient care. A focus on the importance of transparent communication and leadership responsibility is key.
2. Implement structured communication protocols
To prevent future issues, the CNO can establish clear communication guidelines for all nurse managers, requiring them to provide timely updates on policy changes, staffing, and resource allocation. These protocols can include mandatory team meetings or written updates.
3. Offer leadership training
If the Nurse Manager’s behavior is due to a lack of leadership skills, the CNO should consider providing coaching or leadership development training. This would help the manager understand the importance of transparency and build the necessary skills to lead effectively.
The impact of withholding information on patient care
In healthcare, the consequences of withholding critical information go beyond organizational and team inefficiencies — they directly affect patient care. When healthcare professionals are not provided with timely and essential updates, the quality of care they deliver is inevitably compromised, which can lead to serious and sometimes life-threatening consequences. Here are the specific impacts on patient care when information is withheld:
1. Increased risk of medical errors
Nurses and other frontline healthcare workers rely on updated protocols and procedures to ensure safe patient care. If they are not informed about changes to care standards, infection control measures, or medication adjustments, they are more likely to make mistakes. These errors can result in incorrect treatments, missed steps in patient care, or even harmful interactions with medications, which can endanger patients' lives.
2. Delayed response to patient needs
When information about staffing levels, resources, or operational adjustments is not communicated, teams may be left understaffed or underprepared during critical moments. This can result in delayed responses to patient needs, such as slower responses to emergencies, missed medication times, or delayed diagnoses, all of which can negatively impact patient outcomes and recovery times.
3. Breakdown in continuity of care
Effective patient care requires seamless coordination across shifts and departments. When crucial updates on patient conditions, changes in care protocols, or new treatment plans are not passed along, it disrupts the continuity of care. Patients may receive inconsistent treatment or conflicting advice from different healthcare providers, which can lead to confusion and decreased confidence in their care team.
4. Compromised patient safety protocols
Withholding information on safety protocols, such as infection control measures, puts patients at unnecessary risk. For example, if the nursing staff is unaware of a new protocol for managing infectious diseases, they may inadvertently spread infections or fail to protect vulnerable patients. This compromises patient safety and increases the likelihood of preventable complications.
5. Decreased patient satisfaction
Patients expect their healthcare team to be well-informed and capable of answering their questions. When nurses are not provided with the latest information about changes in care plans, hospital policies, or resource availability, it becomes harder for them to give patients the reassurance and guidance they need. This can result in patients feeling neglected, frustrated, or confused, leading to lower satisfaction scores and a diminished perception of the hospital’s quality of care.
6. Negative impact on patient trust
Patients trust their care team to make informed decisions that prioritize their health and well-being. When that trust is broken – either through visible miscommunication, inconsistent care, or an inability to provide clear answers – patients may become anxious and doubtful of their treatment. This lack of trust can also lead to decreased patient compliance with treatment plans, further jeopardizing their recovery.
Conclusion
The withholding of critical information in a healthcare setting has a profound and far-reaching impact on both patient care and organizational success. Medical errors, delays in response, compromised safety, and a breakdown in continuity of care are just a few of the serious consequences that can arise from a lack of transparency. To ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality care, there must be a free and consistent flow of information from leadership to frontline staff. A Nurse Manager's failure to communicate transparently not only undermines their team but also jeopardizes the hospital’s ability to meet its core mission of patient care. This leadership failure can lead to operational inefficiencies, diminished staff morale, and a loss of trust within the organization. Addressing this issue through clear communication protocols, leadership development, and proactive strategies will help restore trust, align teams with strategic goals, and, most importantly, prioritize patient safety and care.
LaSandra Collins, Leadership Development Coach
LaSandra Collins, is empowers professionals in competing effectively in the job market so that they can realize their career aspirations and goal. For many years, LaSandra worked in dead end jobs to make ends meet. It was after a Recruiter told her, “You are grossly underpaid for the education and experience you have,” that she turned her career around and decided to dedicate her life to helping others do the same. Through research, studying the job market, partnering with Recruiters and strategies LaSandra has created a way to help others find their ideal career opportunities. LaSandra is now the CEO of Competitive Edge, a coaching firm that offers one-on-one coaching and online training to help her clients navigate their careers. Her mission is to help others, hear the words, “We want to make you an offer."
