Rosa used assertive communication in this situation while Mabel used aggressive (Hansten & Jackson, 2004). Rosa has presented the assignment clearly and without emotion, and has provided a rational basis for making her request. She notes that she wants the team to work together as a unit, and to take advantage of everyone's strengths and weaknesses. She also made the point that surgical scrub for orthopedic cases is part of Mabel's job description. Rosa did not use demeaning language, which would have been aggressive, nor did she simply accept Mabel's refusal and take on the responsibilities herself, which would have been passive.
Mabel took the initiative and announced that she would not scrub in orthopedic cases before the issue was brought up, which was aggressive given that she is dictating, not discussing, her role with her supervisor. Her initial reason-that it is physically stressful-might be a legitimate reason that could be discussed further to determine if Mabel is, in fact, physically suited for the tasks her job demands. In addition, her next statement, that she is the granddaughter of a VIP and that she would have Rosa's "head on a platter" is clearly aggressive. Her relatives have nothing to do with what tasks her job demands, and her last statement is clearly threatening. Indeed, this last statement might also be litigious from Rosa's perspective.
Hansten, R., I., & Jackson, M. (2004). Clinical delegation skills: A handbook for professional practice. (3rd ed.) Sandbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
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