Final answer:
A nurse manager redesigning the staffing schedule is likely to follow a humanistic approach, aligning with Theory Y management, which promotes worker satisfaction, participation, and shared decision-making, all key in healthcare settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering which management theories a nurse manager might follow when redesigning the staffing schedule, it's essential to reflect on the nature of nursing work and the concerns of staff. As nursing is heavily reliant on team collaboration and ensuring patient care, a humanistic approach is more likely to be effective. Such an approach aligns with Theory Y of Douglas McGregor, which posits that workers seek inner satisfaction and are motivated and capable of self-direction, collaboration, and wanting to work productively. This is in stark contrast to the Theory X approach, which assumes people are inherently lazy and must be coerced into working. A humanistic management style underpins the transformational leadership model, encouraging participation, creativity, and shared decision-making, all of which are likely to be beneficial in a healthcare setting when designing a staffing schedule. This is because it promotes involvement and addresses both the well-being of the staff and the efficiency of the care they provide to patients.