NURS 6053 Assignment: Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue

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NURS 6053 Assignment: Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue

Assignment: Review of Current Healthcare Issues

The Quadruple Aim provides broad categories of goals to pursue to maintain and improve healthcare. Within each goal are many issues that, if addressed successfully, may have a positive impact on outcomes. For example, healthcare leaders are being tasked to shift from an emphasis on disease management often provided in an acute care setting to health promotion and disease prevention delivered in primary care settings. Efforts in this area can have significant positive impacts by reducing the need for primary healthcare and by reducing the stress on the healthcare system.

Changes in the industry only serve to stress what has always been true; namely, that the healthcare field has always faced significant challenges, and that goals to improve healthcare will always involve multiple stakeholders. This should not seem surprising given the circumstances. Indeed, when a growing population needs care, there are factors involved such as the demands of providing that care and the rising costs associated with healthcare. Generally, it is not surprising that the field of healthcare is an industry facing multifaceted issues that evolve over time.

In this module’s Discussion, you reviewed some healthcare issues/stressors and selected one for further review. For this Assignment, you will consider in more detail the healthcare issue/stressor you selected. You will also review research that addresses the issue/stressor and write a white paper to your organization’s leadership that addresses the issue/stressor you selected.

To Prepare:

  • Review the national healthcare issues/stressors presented in the Resources and reflect on the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected for study.
  • Reflect on the feedback you received from your colleagues on your Discussion post for the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected.
  • Identify and review two additional scholarly resources (not included in the Resources for this module) that focus on change strategies implemented by healthcare organizations to address your selected national healthcare issue/stressor.

Also read:

NURS 6053 Assignment: Personal Leadership Philosophies

NURS 6053 Discussion: Workplace Environment Assessment

NURS 6053 Discussion: Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues

The Assignment (3-4 Pages):

Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue

Develop a 3- to 4-page paper, written to your organization’s leadership team, addressing your selected national healthcare issue/stressor and how it is impacting your work setting. Be sure to address the following:

  • Describe the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected and its impact on your organization. Use organizational data to quantify the impact (if necessary, seek assistance from leadership or appropriate stakeholders in your organization).
  • Provide a brief summary of the two articles you reviewed from outside resources on the national healthcare issue/stressor. Explain how the healthcare issue/stressor is being addressed in other organizations.
  • Summarize the strategies used to address the organizational impact of national healthcare issues/stressors presented in the scholarly resources you selected. Explain how they may impact your organization both positively and negatively. Be specific and provide examples.

Looking Ahead

The paper you develop in Module 1 will be revisited and revised in Module 2. Review the Assignment instructions for Module 2 to prepare for your revised paper.

By Day 7 of Week 2

Submit your paper.

NURS 6053 Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue Sample Paper

National Healthcare Issue

The shortage of workforce in the health sector is one problem that continues to plague the United States. While Registered Nurses form the largest group of care providers in the country, their shortage persist as only about sixty percent practice in public hospitals. This shortage is projected to worsen further through 2022 with the current system of healthcare in the country (American Nurses Association, n.d.) owing to the anticipated retirement of the currently available workforce and advancing ages of baby boomers.

The quadruple aim has been promoted to improve the provisions of the tipple aim that advocated for improvement in population health, individual care experience, and healthcare cost reduction. The quadruple aim adds the improvement of healthcare provider’s experience as another objective to the triple aim (Valaitis et al., 2020).

In fact, Park et al. (2018) notes that it is possible to improve the providers’ experience by promoting the caregiver’s joy at work and providing meaning to their work experience. Therefore, the shortage of workforce can only prevent the achievement of the quadruple aim through enhancing nurse stress at the workplace.

Workplace stress will imminently worsen the already existing shortage of healthcare workforce. The increasing need for primary care due to the increasing prevalence of chronic disease necessitates balancing the nurse-to-patient ratio (Pittman & Scully-Russ, 2016). The inclusion of other strategies by other organizations has proved to be a great solution to the workforce shortage and workplace stress and emotional distress of nursing care providers.

Impact on My Practice Setting

My health organization is not spared by the low nurse-to-patient ratio. The recommended country average ratio of nurse to clients is 1:5 while in my organization, this ratio is lower in various departments. This has caused delayed shift reporting, increased medical errors, increased nurse fatigue, and deterioration in nurse’s mental health. While some nurses have transferred from the organization, others have increased their shift duration to cover for the shortage.

Workload stress has been evident through depression and anxiety among workers, workplace conflicts and incivility, and increased delegation of duties to other junior practitioners. Early retirement of some of the most experienced nurses has also been observed. This trend has also been encountered in nursing practice in some countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada (MacPhee, Dahinten, & Havaei, 2017). The ultimate consequences are compromised professional standards and constant depreciation in care quality.

Research Articles Review

Management of workload-related stress among nurses involves interventional strategies employed at the national, organizational, and personal levels. Herr et al. (2018) conducted a study on the long-term effectiveness of work stress management strategies employed among 101 male industrial workers. The study assessed the outcome of stress management on the subjects’ mental health and sleep quality at the end of the observation time.

The intervention focused mainly on alterations in reactivity to stressors at work, such as social conflicts, workload, work stress, and anticipatory reactivity. The study established that reduction in reactivity to social stress had long-term positive benefits on reduction of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.

A study by Havermans et al. (2018), on the other hand, investigated the need for stress prevention strategies among employees and workplace supervisors in various organizational sectors such as finance, services industry, and health care. In this focused group discussion study, researchers guided 7 employees and 8 supervisors in expressing their experiences and opinion about their needs in work-related stress prevention. The emergent themes were analyzed and four main subthemes necessary to prevent stress in the workplace emerged, namely communication, social support, stakeholders’ involvement, and availability of preventive measures.

Summaries of the Strategies in Addressing Organizational Impacts of Workload due to Workforce Shortage

The national government should be at the forefront in preventing organizational consequences of nursing workforce shortage. The federal and state governments, through their departments of health, should empower nurse educators to train more nurses to cover for the deficit resulting from retirement and increase in nurse-patient ratio resulting from high care demand associated with increased prevalence of chronic conditions.

However, organizational strategies are also critical in curbing the impacts of increased workload such as work-related stress and deterioration in quality. Prevention of anticipated work-related stress and management of already evident stress requires input from the nurses and the administration, including supervisors.

Modification of workers’ responses should form the basis in managing work-related stress due to increased workload. According to Herr et al. (2018), modifications in nurses’ reactivity to stressors have long-term benefits in managing workplace stress. The reduction in depression, anxiety, and conflicts such as workplace incivility were significant outcomes following the implementation of workplace stress management strategies.

Proper communication strategies, the involvement of all stakeholders in creating a favorable environment, and availability of functional social support would confer more advantages in preventing work-related stress in situations of anticipated increase in workload (Havermans et al., 2018). The effectiveness of these strategies had been shown through evidence-based practice.

Conclusion

Work-related stress among nurses is a national stressor that results from increased workload due to low average nurse to patient ratio. However, the organizational impact is preventable through well-executed strategies. It is possible to manage impacts such as nurse depression, anxiety, and conflicts through the participation of nurse leaders and nurses. Such strategies can be very specific to every organization depending on the structural arrangements. However, the major concepts include proper communication and inter-stakeholder collaboration and involvement.

NURS 6053 Assignment: Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue References

  • American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Workforce. Nursingworld.Org. Retrieved March 5, 2021, from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/
  • Havermans, B. M., Brouwers, E. P. M., Hoek, R. J. A., Anema, J. R., van der Beek, A. J., & Boot, C. R. L. (2018). Work stress prevention needs of employees and supervisors. BMC Public Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5535-1
  • Herr, R., Barrech, A., Riedel, N., Gündel, H., Angerer, P., & Li, J. (2018). Long-term effectiveness of stress management at work: Effects of the changes in perceived stress reactivity on mental health and sleep problems seven years later. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2), 255. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020255
  • MacPhee, M., Dahinten, V., & Havaei, F. (2017). The impact of heavy perceived nurse workloads on patient and nurse outcomes. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci7010007
  • Park, B., Gold, S. B., Bazemore, A., & Liaw, W. (2018). How evolving United States payment models influence primary care and its impact on the Quadruple Aim. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine: JABFM, 31(4), 588–604. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2018.04.170388
  • Pittman, P., & Scully-Russ, E. (2016). Workforce planning and development in times of delivery system transformation. Human Resources for Health, 14(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-016-0154-3
  • Valaitis, R. K., Wong, S. T., MacDonald, M., Martin-Misener, R., O’Mara, L., Meagher-Stewart, D., Isaacs, S., Murray, N., Baumann, A., Burge, F., Green, M., Kaczorowski, J., & Savage, R. (2020). Addressing quadruple aims through primary care and public health collaboration: ten Canadian case studies. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 507. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08610-y

NURS 6053 Assignment: Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue Example 2

Addressing Nursing Shortages in Our Healthcare Organization

The healthcare institution is currently facing a deteriorating deficit of nurses and nurse managers, a trend that has been observed nationwide in recent years. This ongoing and escalating shortage of nursing professionals is unparalleled in the annals of modern healthcare (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2023). Within our organization, seasoned nurses have exited the profession due to retirement or career transitions, leaving behind vacancies that the remaining nurses and leaders have struggled to fill (Broome & Marshall, 2021). 

This challenge is exacerbated by the absence of nursing education opportunities in baccalaureate nursing programs and the lack of experience among potential candidates for these open positions. As Beitz (2019) note, the scarcity of academic nursing education programs in the United States has been a persistent issue since the early 1970s. The purpose of this paper is to explain evidence-based strategies to curb the nursing shortage and how the strategies can be applied to our institution. 

Two Outside Articles and How Issue is Addressed in Other Organizations

The issue of nursing shortages has been a long-standing challenge, and its effects on our institution are reflected in various important indicators (Baker, 2022). Based on our internal records, there has been a 15% rise in nurse-to-patient ratios in the last year, resulting in heavier workloads and possible risks to patient safety. Furthermore, there has been a 20% surge in burnout and discontentment among nursing staff, impacting overall staff morale per the survey done three months ago.

Two reputable sources have provided insights into how different organizations are addressing the nursing shortage problem. The initial article, authored by Ma et al. (2022), focuses on “Innovative Staffing Solutions for Nursing Shortages.” It examines the impact of a newly implemented therapeutic staffing model at the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT). The article identifies several themes among the staff, including shift patterns, ward duties/workload, and morale. While the new model shows promise, it also highlights certain issues. The article suggests recommendations to enhance team cohesiveness, foster a sense of value, and strengthen professional identities. 

The second article, published by NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc. in 2021, is a report on national healthcare retention and RN staffing. According to this article, one measurable indicator of the severity of a hospital’s vacancy rate is the utilization of contract labor and overtime. The management should not perceive contract labor costs as mere operating expenses but rather incorporate them into the position control system. A more accurate understanding of the direct labor cost can be obtained by including these costs within the payroll cost line.

Strategies to Address Organizational Impact and the Positive/Negative Impact in Our Organization

The scholarly resources provide valuable strategies that could greatly benefit our organization. One such strategy is the flexible therapeutic staffing model introduced by Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust, which outlines staffing levels for each service line and ward (Ma et al., 2022). This model emphasizes the importance of flexible rotas, career development for healthcare workers, and safe staffing through therapeutic models involving various disciplines. This model allows our organization to manage patient loads, especially during peak times, effectively.

Implementing strategies aimed at retaining employees, as suggested by NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc. (2021), has the potential to enhance job satisfaction and decrease burnout within our nursing team. To enhance the financial performance of our hospital, it is imperative to focus on enhancing our ability to retain staff, addressing vacancy rates, strengthening recruitment efforts, and managing labor costs effectively. The establishment and maintenance of a high-quality workforce are crucial for successfully managing the challenges associated with staffing.

The healthcare system faces mounting pressure due to the growing general population and aging population, leading to a higher demand for health services and, subsequently, nurses. While these strategies have their advantages, it is vital to acknowledge the potential challenges they pose. For example, the upfront costs of introducing new staffing models or retention programs could put a strain on our financial resources. Additionally, resistance to change from current staff members could impede the effective execution of these initiatives.

Conclusion

One of the most critical challenges facing our organization is the shortage of nurses, which has a significant impact on our overall well-being. To address this challenge and ensure the smooth functioning of our operations, we need to adopt effective strategies that can help us attract and retain nursing staff. These strategies can be sourced from presented external sources.

Customizing these strategies to suit the organizational environment is also important, as it can help the organization achieve the desired outcomes and meet the unique needs of staff and patients. By investing in effective strategies, the organization can create an environment that supports the growth and development of our nursing staff, resulting in improved patient outcomes and overall organizational success.

References

Baker, D. W. (2022). Addressing the nursing shortage in the United States: An interview with Dr. Peter Buerhaus. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 48(5), 298–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2022.02.006

Beitz, J. M. (2019). Addressing the perioperative nursing shortage through education: A perioperative imperative. AORN Journal, 110(4), 403–414. https://doi.org/10.1002/aorn.12805

Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader. Springer. https://books.google.com/books?id=jkC9DwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Ma, E., Kritsimali, A., Olby-Clements, B., Boyd, K., & Demirbasa, B. (2022). Innovative staffing solutions to nursing shortages in acute mental health inpatient wards. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 43(2), 103–110. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2021.1961331

NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc. (2021). 2021 NSI national health care retention & RN staffing report. http://www.nsinursingsolutions.com/Documents/Library/NSI_National_Health_Care_Retention_Report.pdf

Tamata, A. T., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2023). A systematic review study on the factors affecting the shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals. Nursing Open, 10(3), 1247–1257. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1434

MODULE 2 ASSIGNMENT – DEVELOPING ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES

Competing needs arise within any organization as employees seek to meet their targets and leaders seek to meet company goals. As a leader, successful management of these goals requires establishing priorities and allocating resources accordingly.

Within a healthcare setting, the needs of the workforce, resources, and patients are often in conflict. Mandatory overtime, implementation of staffing ratios, use of unlicensed assisting personnel, and employer reductions of education benefits are examples of practices that might lead to conflicting needs in practice.

Leaders can contribute to both the problem and the solution through policies, action, and inaction. In this Assignment, you will further develop the white paper you began work on in Module 1 by addressing competing needs within your organization.

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources. 

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare:

  • Review the national healthcare issue/stressor you examined in your Assignment for Module 1, and review the analysis of the healthcare issue/stressor you selected.
  • Identify and review two evidence-based scholarly resources that focus on proposed policies/practices to apply to your selected healthcare issue/stressor.
  • Reflect on the feedback you received from your colleagues on your Discussion post regarding competing needs.

The Assignment (1-2 pages):

Developing Organizational Policies and Practices

Add a section to the 2-3 page paper you submitted in Module 1. The new section should address the following in 1-2 pages:

  • Identify and describe at least two competing needs impacting your selected healthcare issue/stressor.
  • Describe a relevant policy or practice in your organization that may influence your selected healthcare issue/stressor.
  • Critique the policy for ethical considerations, and explain the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics.
  • Recommend one or more policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients, while addressing any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies. Be specific and provide examples.
  • Cite evidence that informs the healthcare issue/stressor and/or the policies, and provide two scholarly resources in support of your policy or practice recommendations.
  • Due to the nature of this assignment, your instructor may require more than 7 days to provide you with quality feedback.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Readings

NURS 6053 Assignment: Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue

Rubric – NURS_6053_Module02_Week03_Assignment_Rubric

CriteriaRatingsPts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Add a section to the 2-3 page paper you submitted in Module 1. For this assignment, in 1-2 pages, address the following: · Identify and describe at least two competing needs impacting your selected healthcare issue/stressor.25 to >22.0 pts Excellent The response accurately and thoroughly identifies and describes at least two competing needs impacting the healthcare issue/stressor selected.
22 to >19.0 pts Good The response identifies and describes at least two competing needs impacting the healthcare issue/stressor selected.
19 to >17.0 pts Fair The response vaguely or inaccurately identifies and describes two competing needs impacting the healthcare issue/stressor selected.
17 to >0 pts Poor The response vaguely or inaccurately identifies and describes one competing need impacting the healthcare issue/stressor selected or response is missing.		25 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome· Describe a relevant policy or practice in your organization that may influence your selected healthcare issue/stressor. · Critique the policy for ethical considerations and explain the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics.30 to >26.0 pts ExcellentThe response accurately and thoroughly describes a relevant policy or practice in the organization that may influence the healthcare issue/stressor selected. …The response accurately and thoroughly critiques the policy for ethical considerations and explains in detail the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics.
26 to >23.0 pts Good The response accurately describes a relevant policy or practice in the organization that may influence the healthcare issue/stressor selected. …The response accurately critiques the policy for ethical considerations and explains the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics.
23 to >20.0 pts Fair The response is vague or inaccurate in describing a relevant policy or practice in the organization that may influence the healthcare issue/stressor selected. …The response vaguely or inaccurately critiques the policy for ethical considerations and explains the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics.
20 to >0 pts Poor The response is vague and inaccurate in describing a relevant policy or practice in an organization that may influence the healthcare issue/stressor selected or response is missing. …The response vaguely and inaccurately critiques the policy for ethical considerations and vaguely and inaccurately explains the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics or response is missing.		30 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome· Recommend one or more policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients while addressing any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies. Be specific and provide examples.25 to >22.0 pts Excellent The response provides one or more accurate, clear, and thorough recommendations for policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients while addressing any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies. …Specific and accurate examples are provided. 22 to >19.0 pts Good The response provides one or more recommendations for policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients while addressing any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies. …Specific examples are provided.
19 to >17.0 pts Fair The response vaguely or inaccurately provides one recommendation for policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients while addressing any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies. …One example is provided.
17 to >0 pts Poor The response vaguely and inaccurately provides one recommendation for policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients; response vaguely addresses any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies or response is missing. …Examples are missing.		25 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Resource Synthesis5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Using proper in-text citations, the response fully integrates at least 2 outside resources and 2 or 3 course-specific resources.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Using proper in-text citations, the response fully integrates at least 2 outside resources and 1 course-specific resource.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Using proper in-text citations, the response minimally integrates outside and course-specific resources.
2 to >0 pts Poor The response does not integrate outside and course-specific resources or no in-text citations are used.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided, which delineates all required criteria.5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. …A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion are provided, which delineates all required criteria.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. …Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment are stated but are brief and not descriptive.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60–79% of the time. …Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic.
2 to >0 pts Poor Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity less than 60% of the time. …No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion is provided.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—English Writing Standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation.5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Contains a few (one or two) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Contains several (three or four) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
2 to >0 pts Poor Contains many (five or more) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting: The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Uses correct APA format with no errors.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Contains a few (one or two) APA format errors.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Contains several (three or four) APA format errors.
2 to >0 pts Poor Contains many (five or more) APA format errors.		5 pts
Total Points: 100

MODULE 2 DISCUSSION – ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT HEALTHCARE ISSUES

Quite often, nurse leaders are faced with ethical dilemmas, such as those associated with choices between competing needs and limited resources. Resources are finite, and competition for those resources occurs daily in all organizations.

For example, the use of 12-hour shifts has been a strategy to retain nurses. However, evidence suggests that as nurses work more hours in a shift, they commit more errors. How do effective leaders find a balance between the needs of the organization and the needs of ensuring quality, effective, and safe patient care?

In this Discussion, you will reflect on a national healthcare issue and examine how competing needs may impact the development of polices to address that issue.

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources. 

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare:

  • Review the Resources and think about the national healthcare issue/stressor you previously selected for study in Module 1.
  • Reflect on the competing needs in healthcare delivery as they pertain to the national healthcare issue/stressor you previously examined.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 3

Post an explanation of how competing needs, such as the needs of the workforce, resources, and patients, may impact the development of policy. Then, describe any specific competing needs that may impact the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected. What are the impacts, and how might policy address these competing needs? Be specific and provide examples.

BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 3

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by providing additional thoughts about competing needs that may impact your colleagues’ selected issues, or additional ideas for applying policy to address the impacts described.

NURS 6053 ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT HEALTHCARE ISSUES EXAMPLE SOLUTION

  • Collapse Subdiscussion Dec 13, at 12:49am Manage Discussion Entry OnyinkwaL-main post
  • How competing needs, such as the needs of the workforce, resources, and patients, may impact the development of policy.  needs of the workforce, resources, and patients
  • Workforce

Pittman, P. (2016), Understanding what workforce changes are occurring and how they are being managed is key not just for healthcare leaders but for policymakers as well. These competing needs affect the overall impact when the policy is implemented. For example, when the proposed policy is about nursing staffing and deployment, the institution should keep in mind the number of nurses who are currently hired or ready for deployment and the number of nurses that are needed to fill the position for any vacancies. Their skills and experiences should also be aligned to the area they were being assigned to.  

  • Resources:

The resources needed to train new nurses should also be kept in mind to fully support their workload’s potential. The cost of healthcare delivery for both human and material resources in the United States is a major hindrance to addressing the issue of burnout among healthcare workers and is a major factor contributing to the frequent practice of understaffing healthcare facilities across the nation (Costa & Moss, 2018). 

  • Patients:

The number of patients should also be addressed in nursing staffing policy. There should be a specific nurse-patient ratio to promote quality and efficient patient care. On the same note, decreased nursing errors and increased client satisfaction can be attained. 

  • Describe any specific competing needs that may impact the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected. 

Workload-The Amount of work in each institution impacts patient and staff needs and an organization’s resources. High causes burnout which leads to errors and poor patient outcomes. High workload also has an impact on nurse job dissatisfaction and burnout, and the intention of nurses to leave. High nursing staff turnover resulted in increased costs for using temporary employees or training new nurses.  

  • What are the impacts, and how might policy address these competing needs? Be specific and provide examples. 

A new policy might address these competing needs by ensuring an optimal nurse to patient ratio which can better nurse staffing in organizations and improved care outcomes for patients. The policy can outline a particular nurse to patient ratio depending on the type of unit within a healthcare facility. 

Nurse leaders/managers should learn to create opportunities for individual nurses to develop moral agency and resilience. An example, some nurses in school and are willing to work specific days in that their schedule can rhyme with their school schedule. Work towards accommodating their schedule. This will make them feel supported and stick around for a longer period.

References

Example Discussion by Ashley

When looking at developing a policy many times other factors are involved in figuring out how to set up the policy. Things like workforce, resources, and patients are considered when looking at ways to make the policy effective for all. This can be a very difficult task to accomplish. For an example, during the COVID epidemic resources were limited.

During this time nurses had to think of ways to not only protect themselves from the virus but also ways to protect the patients. Therefore, stakeholders had to come up with difficult ways to make the supplies they had last to the best of their ability. Many policies are hard to come up with when you are trying to do what is best for the employer, the employee, and patients. Having a balance between these needs can be difficult. However, to create an effective policy this is necessary.  

When looking at nursing shortage there are many competing needs that needs to be looked at when a policy is being made. One thing that needs to be looked at is nursing fatigue. According to Goldfarb et al. (2008), to help reduce errors from being made nurses should not be allowed to work over 12 hours in a 24-hour shift and over 60 hours in a 7-day period. There are many contributing problems that arise which makes it hard for the nursing staff and the employer to be satisfied. Also, when there is a shortage in nursing patients are affected.

For instance, when having a large patient load there is more of a chance of a patient being readmitted (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2022). As a nurse that has worked units when there is not enough staff, I know that call lights are answered slower and when discharges occur nurses are busy so it might take awhile before the patient gets out of the hospital. Nursing burnout is another reason nursing shortage is such a big problem currently. According to (Bailey 2022), 34% of nurses plan on leaving their jobs and 44% are burned out.

Reference

MODULE 3 DISCUSSION 1 – LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE

A walk through the Business section of any bookstore or a quick Internet search on the topic will reveal a seemingly endless supply of writings on leadership. Formal research literature is also teeming with volumes on the subject.

However, your own observation and experiences may suggest these theories are not always so easily found in practice. Not that the potential isn’t there; current evidence suggests that leadership factors such as emotional intelligence and transformational leadership behaviors, for example, can be highly effective for leading nurses and organizations.

Yet, how well are these theories put to practice? In this Discussion, you will examine formal leadership theories. You will compare these theories to behaviors you have observed firsthand and discuss their effectiveness in impacting your organization.

To Prepare:

  • Review the Resources and examine the leadership theories and behaviors introduced.
  • Identify two to three scholarly resources, in addition to this Module’s readings, that evaluate the impact of leadership behaviors in creating healthy work environments.
  • Reflect on the leadership behaviors presented in the three resources that you selected for review.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 4

Post two key insights you had from the scholarly resources you selected. Describe a leader whom you have seen use such behaviors and skills, or a situation where you have seen these behaviors and skills used in practice. Be specific and provide examples. Then, explain to what extent these skills were effective and how their practice impacted the workplace.

BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 4

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by explaining how the leadership skills they described may impact your organization or your personal leadership, or by identifying challenges you see in applying the skills described.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Readings

  • Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
    • Chapter 1, “Frameworks for Becoming a Transformational Leader” (pp. 2–19 ONLY)
    • Chapter 6, “Shaping Your Own Leadership Journey” (pp. 182-211)
  • Duggan, K., Aisaka, K., Tabak, R. G., Smith, C., Erwin, P., & Brownson, R. C. (2015). Implementing administrative evidence-based practices: Lessons from the field in six local health departments across the United States. BMC Health Services Research, 15.(1). doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0891-3. Retrieved from https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-015-0891-3

Resources for the StrengthsFinder Assessment Tool

  • Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0 – with Access Code.Purchase the access code from the Walden bookstore. Then follow the instructions in the document “How to Access the Strengths Finder 2.0.
  • Document: How to Access Strengths Finder 2.0 (PDF)

MODULE 3 DISCUSSION 1 – LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE EXAMPLE SOLUTION 1 Shawn Brown

Manage Discussion Entry

It is important to be a good leader. A good leader will empower their employees with education and encouragement.  employees felt that their health partly depended on the attributes that leaders possessed, what leaders do and how leaders do it that leadership influences the perception of a healthy workplace (Vidman 2020). Leadership can assist with job retention or cause an exodus of the workplace. The leader that I have admired is an administrator at an retirement village.

I admire the way he respects all employees, offers correction in a way that doesn’t embarrass, or demean. Leadership is an important part of every organization and health care facility. It is also stated that  a view toward healthy work environment experiences is critical to maintain participant engagement while meeting educational objectives (Snyder 2020).

Leadership does not put value on titles but on the people they lead. They pitch in where needed, when needed, if needed. The leader I admire would assist staff with patients when needed and consistently interact with the patients and staff. He made coming to work fun. His personality and way of leading increased employee morale, attendance, and overall job satisfaction.

Snyder, M., & Embree, J. L. (2021). Leadership Experiences in a Healthy Work Environment. Journal of continuing education in nursing, 52(7), 309–311. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20210611-04

Vidman, Å., & Strömberg, A. (2020). Leadership for a healthy work environment – a question about who, what and how. Leadership in health services (Bradford, England), 34(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-06-2020-0041

Alyse Response to Shawn

Hi Shawn,

Great discussion. Positive leadership behaviors reduce the likelihood of burnout, dissatisfaction, and leaving an organization (Hofmeyer & Taylor, 2021). Leadership behavior that empowers nurses to use their skills, behaviors, and knowledge to control their work has the potential to improve job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and quality of care (Bianchi  et al., 2018).  Empowering behaviors, such as enlightening and demonstrating concern and care, reduce nurses’ feelings of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion by instilling trust in the leader and the organization (Bianchi  et al., 2018).

Transformational leadership behaviors, in particular, foster a healthy work environment in which nurses are empowered and committed to their work (Bianchi  et al., 2018).Leadership behaviors can help employees develop their potential and empower individuals to make changes possible (Hofmeyer & Taylor, 2021). Leaders who encourage teamwork, include employees in decision-making, reward excellent work, and encourage motivation can improve employee satisfaction and work-life balance (Bianchi  et al., 2018).

References

Bianchi, M., Bagnasco, A., Bressan, V., Barisone, M., Timmins, F., Rossi, S., … & Sasso, L. (2018). A review of the role of nurse leadership in promoting and sustaining evidence‐based practice. Journal of Nursing Management, 26(8), 918-932. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jonm.12638

Hofmeyer, A., & Taylor, R. (2021). Strategies and resources for nurse leaders to use to lead with empathy and prudence so they understand and address sources of anxiety among nurses practising in the era of COVID‐19. Journal of clinical nursing, 30(1-2), 298-305. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocn.15520

Chloe Dina Hespeler

Manage Discussion Entry

MODULE 3 DISCUSSION 1 – LEADERSHIP THEORIES IN PRACTICE EXAMPLE SOLUTION 2

The importance of strong leadership as it relates to healthy work environments must not be overlooked. Leaders can serve both as role models and support persons for staff who present questions, and feedback regarding the unit. Leaders can also serve as advocates by sharing their concerns with managerial staff members to implement new policies that address important issues.

After interviewing employees about their leaders, Vidman and Stromberg (2020), found that employees were more concerned about the leader’s impact on change in the workplace rather than the leader’s own personality. The feeling of working in a healthy environment results from having confidence that the leader acts in the best interest of the organization and if the leader is a responsible person “with confidence and ability to manage change through trustful interaction” (para. 22). This shows that employees are more concerned about how the leaders can impact the organization, rather than who they are as people.

According to Kupperschmidt et. al. (2010), “Healthy work environments are healing, empowering environments that have been correlated with employee engagement and organizational commitment. These environments are characterized by a high level of trust between management and employees” (para. 1). By listening to staff nurses’ concerns and needs, leaders can communicate with management and adopt new policies to combat issues in the workplace. In doing so, leaders will gain trust and thus foster a healthy work environment.

My charge nurse from the previous facility at which I worked shared safety concerns with managers and contributed to beneficial changes in the unit. For example, we discussed how the nightshift was so incredibly short staffed meanwhile the day shift had a plethora of nurses. We suggested starting hiring more night-shift travelers because at the time the only travelers they had been hiring were working the day shift. After my charge nurse discussed this with managers, we soon had not only two new night shift travelers, but she actually brought one of the day shift nurses back to nights as well. The manager also implemented an incentive for all nurses to have the opportunity to pick up more night shifts for more pay.

This helped us tremendously because staffing and patient safety improved. Morale in the unit also increased because we felt as though our struggles were actually being heard and addressed. We truly felt the impact of how beneficial leadership can be when managers put the right people in charge. According to Broome and Marshall (2021), leaders must be “grounded in a set of ethics or core values that guide human behaviors and actions” (p. 8). By advocating for fellow nurses, leaders are not only role models, but also vital members of the healthcare team who are relied on by so many.

References

Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer. https://books.google.com/books?id=jkC9DwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Kupperschmidt, B., Kientz, E., Ward, J., Reinholz, B., (Jan. 31, 2010). “A Healthy Work Environment: It Begins With You.” OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 15(1), Manuscript 3. https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol15No01Man03

Vidman, Å., & Strömberg, A. (2020). Leadership for a healthy work environment – a question about who, what and how. Leadership in health services (Bradford, England), 34(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-06-2020-0041

NURS 6053 MODULE 3 DISCUSSION 2 – YOUR LEADERSHIP PROFILE

Do you believe you have the traits to be an effective leader? Perhaps you are already in a supervisory role, but as has been discussed previously, appointment does not guarantee leadership skills.

How can you evaluate your own leadership skills and behaviors? You can start by analyzing your performance in specific areas of leadership. In this Discussion, you will complete Gallup’s StrengthsFinder assessment. This assessment will identify your personal strengths, which have been shown to improve motivation, engagement, and academic self-conference.

Through this assessment, you will discover your top five themes—which you can reflect upon and use to leverage your talents for optimal success and examine how the results relate to your leadership traits.

To Prepare:

Complete the StrengthsFinder assessment instrument, per the instructions found in this Module’s Learning Resources.

Please Note: This Assessment will take roughly 30 minutes to complete.

  • Once you have completed your assessment, you will receive your “Top 5 Signature Themes of Talent” on your screen.
  • Click the Download button below Signature Theme Report, and then print and save the report. We also encourage you to select the Apply tab to review action items.

NOTE: Please keep your report. You will need your results for future courses. Technical Issues with Gallup:

If you have technical issues after registering, please contact the Gallup Education Support group by phone at +1.866-346-4408. Support is available 24 hours/day from 6:00 p.m. Sunday U.S. Central Time through 5:00 p.m. Friday U.S. Central Time.

  • Reflect on the results of your Assessment, and consider how the results relate to your leadership traits.
  • Download your Signature Theme Report to submit for this Discussion.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 5

Post a brief description of your results from the StrengthsFinder assessment. Then, briefly describe two core values, two strengths, and two characteristics that you would like to strengthen based on the results of your StrengthsFinder assessment. Be specific. Note: Be sure to attach your Signature Theme Report to your Discussion post.

BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 5

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by making recommendations for how they might strengthen the leadership behaviors profiled in their StrengthsFinder assessment, or by commenting on lessons to be learned from the results that can be applied to personal leadership philosophies and behaviors.

NURS 6053 MODULE 3 ASSIGNMENT – PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHIES

Many of us can think of leaders we have come to admire, be they historical figures, pillars of the industry we work in, or leaders we know personally. The leadership of individuals such as Abraham Lincoln and Margaret Thatcher has been studied and discussed repeatedly. However, you may have interacted with leaders you feel demonstrated equally competent leadership without ever having a book written about their approaches.

What makes great leaders great? Every leader is different, of course, but one area of commonality is the leadership philosophy that great leaders develop and practice. A leadership philosophy is basically an attitude held by leaders that acts as a guiding principle for their behavior. While formal theories on leadership continue to evolve over time, great leaders seem to adhere to an overarching philosophy that steers their actions.

What is your leadership philosophy? In this Assignment, you will explore what guides your own leadership.

To Prepare:

  • Identify two to three scholarly resources, in addition to this Module’s readings, that evaluate the impact of leadership behaviors in creating healthy work environments.
  • Reflect on the leadership behaviors presented in the three resources that you selected for review.
  • Reflect on your results of the CliftonStrengths Assessment*, and consider how the results relate to your leadership traits.

*not required to submit CliftonStrengths Assessment

The Assignment (2-3 pages):

Personal Leadership Philosophies

Develop and submit a personal leadership philosophy that reflects what you think are characteristics of a good leader. Use the scholarly resources on leadership you selected to support your philosophy statement. Your personal leadership philosophy should include the following:

  • A description of your core values.
  • A personal mission and vision statement.
  • An analysis of your CliftonStrengths Assessment summarizing the results of your profile
  • A description of two key behaviors that you wish to strengthen.
  • A development plan that explains how you plan to improve upon the two key behaviors you selected and an explanation of how you plan to achieve your personal vision. Be specific and provide examples.
  • Be sure to incorporate your colleagues’ feedback on your CliftonStrengths Assessment from this Module’s Discussion 2.

BY DAY 7 OF WEEK 6

Submit your personal leadership philosophy.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Readings

  • Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
    • Chapter 1, “Frameworks for Becoming a Transformational Leader” (pp. 2–19 ONLY)
    • Chapter 6, “Shaping Your Own Leadership Journey” (pp. 182-211)
  • Duggan, K., Aisaka, K., Tabak, R. G., Smith, C., Erwin, P., & Brownson, R. C. (2015). Implementing administrative evidence-based practices: Lessons from the field in six local health departments across the United States. BMC Health Services Research, 15Links to an external site.(1). doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0891-3. Retrieved from https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-015-0891-3

Resources for the StrengthsFinder Assessment Tool

Required Media

NURS 6053 Assignment: Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue

Rubric – NURS_6053_Module03_Week06_Assignment_Rubric

CriteriaRatingsPts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Develop and submit a personal leadership philosophy that reflects what you think are characteristics of a good leader. Use the scholarly resources on leadership you selected to support your philosophy statement. Your personal leadership philosophy should include the following:· A description of your core values.· A personal mission statement, AND· a personal vision statement.15 to >13.0 pts Excellent The response accurately and thoroughly describes a set of core values. …The response clearly and thoroughly describes a personal mission statement and a personal vision statement.
13 to >11.0 pts Good The response describes a set of core values. …The response describes a personal mission statement and a personal vision statement.
11 to >10.0 pts Fair The response describes a set of core values that is vague or inaccurate. …The response describes a personal mission statement and vision statement that are vague or inaccurate.
10 to >0 pts Poor The response describes a set of core values that is vague and inaccurate or is missing. …The response describes a personal mission/vision statement that is vague and inaccurate, or is missing.		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome· Analysis of your CliftonStrengths Assessment summarizing the results of your profile. · A description of two key behaviors you wish to strengthen. *not required to submit CliftonStrengths Assessment.15 to >13.0 pts Excellent The response accurately and completely provides an analysis and detailed summary of the CliftonStrengths Assessment. (Not required to submit Clifton Strengths Assessment.) …The response clearly and thoroughly describes two key behaviors to strengthen.
13 to >11.0 pts Good The response accurately provides an analysis and summary of the CliftonStrengths Assessment. (Not required to submit Clifton Strengths Assessment.) …The response describes two key behaviors to strengthen.
11 to >10.0 pts Fair The response provides an analysis and summary of the CliftonStrengths Assessment that is vague or inaccurate. (Not required to submit Clifton Strengths Assessment.) …The response describes two key behaviors to strengthen that is vague or inaccurate.
10 to >0 pts Poor The response provides an analysis and summary of the CliftonStrengths Assessment that is vague and inaccurate or is missing. (Not required to submit Clifton Strengths Assessment.) …The response describes two key behaviors to strengthen that is vague and inaccurate or is missing.		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome· A development plan that explains how you plan to improve upon the two key behaviors you selected · An explanation of how you plan to achieve your personal vision. Be specific and provide examples.50 to >44.0 pts Excellent An accurate, complete, and detailed development plan is provided that thoroughly explains plans to improve upon the two key behaviors selected. … The response accurately and thoroughly includes plans on how to achieve a personal vision with specific examples.
44 to >39.0 pts Good An accurate development plan is provided that explains plans to improve upon the two key behaviors selected. … The response includes plans on how to achieve a personal vision with specific examples.
39 to >34.0 pts Fair A development plan is provided that explains plans to improve upon the two key behaviors selected that is vague or inaccurate. … The response includes vague or inaccurate plans on how to achieve a personal vision and may include some examples or examples are vague.
34 to >0 pts Poor A vague and inaccurate development plan is provided that explains plans to improve upon the two key behaviors selected or development plan is missing. … The response vaguely and inaccurately explains plans on how to achieve a personal vision, does not include any examples, or response is missing.		50 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Resource Synthesis5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Using proper in-text citations, the response fully integrates at least 2 outside resources and 2 or 3 course-specific resources.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Using proper in-text citations, the response fully integrates at least 2 outside resources and 1 course-specific resource.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Using proper in-text citations, the response minimally integrates outside and course-specific resources.
2 to >0 pts Poor The response does not integrate outside and course-specific resources or no in-text citations are used.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided, which delineates all required criteria.5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. … A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion are provided, which delineates all required criteria.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. …Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment are stated but are brief and not descriptive.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60–79% of the time. … Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic.
2 to >0 pts Poor Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity less than 60% of the time. … No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion is provided.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—English Writing Standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation.5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Contains a few (one or two) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Contains several (three or four) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
2 to >0 pts Poor Contains many (five or more) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting: The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Uses correct APA format with no errors.
4 to >3.0 pts Good Contains a few (one or two) APA format errors.
3 to >2.0 pts Fair Contains several (three or four) APA format errors.
2 to >0 pts Poor Contains many (five or more) APA format errors.		5 pts
Total Points: 100

NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases