,HRM3701 Assignment 3 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025 - DUE 2
MAY 2025;100% CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Case Study: What should Barbara do?
Barbara Wilson is a registered nurse who has been employed by Hope Regional Medical Centre
for the past eight years. For the first six years, Barbara worked as a nurse in the neurological
ward. She enjoyed working in this area, and particularly enjoyed her daily personal interaction
with the patients. After a few years of irregular schedules and long shifts, she decided she needed
a change, and began working as a theatre nurse in the operating room.
Initially, Barbara was excited about the adjustment to her normal routine and looked forward to
slowing down a bit. However, one year into her job in the operating room, Barbara began to find
her work monotonous, and was easily bored. She dreaded getting up in the morning and going to
work, and looked forward to her days off. She began to miss her years of working in the
neurological ward, and longed for a way to integrate all the knowledge, skills, and abilities she
had gained and enjoyed by being a nurse, in the job that suited her best.
In the neurological ward, Barbara was responsible for putting in and monitoring IVs; checking
patient charts; providing care, food and medication; dressing changes; bed baths; taking care of
patients' questions and concerns; and so forth. She would also participate in the entire after
surgery care, consult with patients on pain and symptom management, walking after surgery, and
coordinated home care. Patients would also convey words of gratitude to Barbara, and she would
receive recognition from the hospital for a job well done, which reinforced the work that she did.
Barbara made decisions for the patients based on her knowledge of the medical field. She
prioritised patient care and worked one-on-one with the patients. She received instant feedback
from the patients in some cases, and knew quickly whether patients were satisfied with their care
and their experience at the hospital.
In the operating room, on rare occasions Barbara would put in catheters, position patients on
operating tables, and basically follow the doctors' instructions during surgery. Her tasks were
limited to the time spent in surgery. Patients were only in the operating room for limited periods
of time, leaving little time for Barbara to get to know them and to participate in their care.
Barbara played an integral role in the patients’ hospital experience, although on a personal level
she felt that she did not contribute enough of herself to the task at hand, as she mostly had to
stand around and wait for instructions from the surgeon. She also felt that there was a lack of
communication between her peers. Barbara had to take a back seat to the surgeons in the
operating room, and her work was very rigidly decided by the operating surgeon who made all
the decisions on what was to take place, at what time. If no operations were scheduled, Barbara
had little (if any) work to do. Barbara received no feedback from patients for her work, as they
were sometimes even unaware that she was in the operating room. She also received no feedback
from her supervisor.
, Assignment Questions:
1. Critically analyse the key factors that led to Barbara’s job dissatisfaction
after being transferred from the neurological ward to the operating room. (6)
Assessment criteria:
To answer this question, you need to compare the neurological ward and the
operating room tasks while also considering (1) the nature of Barbara’s tasks and
responsibilities in the operating room versus the neurological ward, (2) the
mismatch between Barbara’s initial expectations and the reality of her role in the
operating room.
1. Critical analysis of the key factors that led to Barbara’s job
dissatisfaction after being transferred from the neurological ward to
the operating room
Barbara’s job dissatisfaction following her transfer from the
neurological ward to the operating room can be critically analysed by
considering both (1) the differences in the nature of her tasks and
responsibilities between the two settings, and (2) the mismatch between
her expectations and the reality of the operating room environment.
1.1 The nature of Barbara’s tasks and responsibilities: Neurological
ward versus Operating room
When Barbara worked in the neurological ward, her tasks were varied,
complex, and holistic in nature. She was involved in nearly every aspect
of patient care, from physical care (such as dressing changes, IV
insertion and monitoring, providing food and medication) to emotional
and psychological support (addressing patient questions, concerns, and
coordinating aftercare). Importantly, she exercised a high degree of
autonomy. She was able to make independent decisions based on her
professional judgment and medical knowledge, prioritise patient care,
and respond dynamically to patient needs. Her role was patient-centred,
allowing her to form meaningful relationships with patients and receive
immediate feedback, such as gratitude and appreciation, which
reinforced her sense of purpose and professional identity.
MAY 2025;100% CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Case Study: What should Barbara do?
Barbara Wilson is a registered nurse who has been employed by Hope Regional Medical Centre
for the past eight years. For the first six years, Barbara worked as a nurse in the neurological
ward. She enjoyed working in this area, and particularly enjoyed her daily personal interaction
with the patients. After a few years of irregular schedules and long shifts, she decided she needed
a change, and began working as a theatre nurse in the operating room.
Initially, Barbara was excited about the adjustment to her normal routine and looked forward to
slowing down a bit. However, one year into her job in the operating room, Barbara began to find
her work monotonous, and was easily bored. She dreaded getting up in the morning and going to
work, and looked forward to her days off. She began to miss her years of working in the
neurological ward, and longed for a way to integrate all the knowledge, skills, and abilities she
had gained and enjoyed by being a nurse, in the job that suited her best.
In the neurological ward, Barbara was responsible for putting in and monitoring IVs; checking
patient charts; providing care, food and medication; dressing changes; bed baths; taking care of
patients' questions and concerns; and so forth. She would also participate in the entire after
surgery care, consult with patients on pain and symptom management, walking after surgery, and
coordinated home care. Patients would also convey words of gratitude to Barbara, and she would
receive recognition from the hospital for a job well done, which reinforced the work that she did.
Barbara made decisions for the patients based on her knowledge of the medical field. She
prioritised patient care and worked one-on-one with the patients. She received instant feedback
from the patients in some cases, and knew quickly whether patients were satisfied with their care
and their experience at the hospital.
In the operating room, on rare occasions Barbara would put in catheters, position patients on
operating tables, and basically follow the doctors' instructions during surgery. Her tasks were
limited to the time spent in surgery. Patients were only in the operating room for limited periods
of time, leaving little time for Barbara to get to know them and to participate in their care.
Barbara played an integral role in the patients’ hospital experience, although on a personal level
she felt that she did not contribute enough of herself to the task at hand, as she mostly had to
stand around and wait for instructions from the surgeon. She also felt that there was a lack of
communication between her peers. Barbara had to take a back seat to the surgeons in the
operating room, and her work was very rigidly decided by the operating surgeon who made all
the decisions on what was to take place, at what time. If no operations were scheduled, Barbara
had little (if any) work to do. Barbara received no feedback from patients for her work, as they
were sometimes even unaware that she was in the operating room. She also received no feedback
from her supervisor.
, Assignment Questions:
1. Critically analyse the key factors that led to Barbara’s job dissatisfaction
after being transferred from the neurological ward to the operating room. (6)
Assessment criteria:
To answer this question, you need to compare the neurological ward and the
operating room tasks while also considering (1) the nature of Barbara’s tasks and
responsibilities in the operating room versus the neurological ward, (2) the
mismatch between Barbara’s initial expectations and the reality of her role in the
operating room.
1. Critical analysis of the key factors that led to Barbara’s job
dissatisfaction after being transferred from the neurological ward to
the operating room
Barbara’s job dissatisfaction following her transfer from the
neurological ward to the operating room can be critically analysed by
considering both (1) the differences in the nature of her tasks and
responsibilities between the two settings, and (2) the mismatch between
her expectations and the reality of the operating room environment.
1.1 The nature of Barbara’s tasks and responsibilities: Neurological
ward versus Operating room
When Barbara worked in the neurological ward, her tasks were varied,
complex, and holistic in nature. She was involved in nearly every aspect
of patient care, from physical care (such as dressing changes, IV
insertion and monitoring, providing food and medication) to emotional
and psychological support (addressing patient questions, concerns, and
coordinating aftercare). Importantly, she exercised a high degree of
autonomy. She was able to make independent decisions based on her
professional judgment and medical knowledge, prioritise patient care,
and respond dynamically to patient needs. Her role was patient-centred,
allowing her to form meaningful relationships with patients and receive
immediate feedback, such as gratitude and appreciation, which
reinforced her sense of purpose and professional identity.
