Informal Power In Nursing Essay

Nursing - Discussion 2 To be able to answer to the first question, if the ward clerk in this scenario have informal or formal power, we need to find out what informal and formal power are. According to Marquis and Huston (2015), the informal leader is someone who does not have the official authority to direct the group. Informal power is based on camaraderie and it is derived from the relationships that employees build with each other. Formal leader on the other hand is given leadership based on his/her position with a group. He/she is actually assigned to be leader as part of his/her role in the group. The formal structure underline the managerial authority, responsibility, and accountability (p. 261). Knowing these definitions, I can say

She has the formal power but in this situation she can not used it. What is important to know is that in any complicated situation, there is an answer, a way to escape. The nurse is in the position to take a decision and she must first assess her alternatives of action. First of all, the nurse knows that a patient has the right to refuse medical care and treatment and to leave the hospital against medical advice (AMA). In our case, Mrs. Jackson is aware of her serious problems and of the fact that leaving AMA the insurance will not pay for her hospitalization. Also, her doctor tried to prevent her from leaving AMA, explaining to her that at home she will have problems in managing her pain. Even so, Mrs. Jackson wants to leave, and the nurse must to respect her wish. In making the decision, the nurse may also consider the fact that the doctor left the prescriptions and follow-up appointment papers. In my opinion, the nurse should treat Mrs. Jackson the same way she treats the patients who are discharged with the doctor’s “blessing”. She must let Mrs. Jackson go home with her rider and give to her the prescriptions and follow-up appointment paper. Mrs. Jackson knows that she has left only few more weeks and in my opinion she deserve to spend these days in the way she will consider that is making her