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NURS 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues

NURS 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues

NURS 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues

 Healthcare policies and procedures help provide standardization and clarity in addressing challenges as well as activities that are crucial for health and safety, legal liabilities, and regulatory needs within every day clinical practice. Two competing needs that affect organizational nursing shortage are workforce satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Healthcare institutions are mostly fixated on patient satisfaction and at times fail to acknowledge the set workforce that provides care to the clients. When the workforce feels unmotivated through aspects such as lack of recognition by the management, then this reflects the probability of provision of low-quality healthcare that leads to patients’ dissatisfaction (Anand & Dwivedi, 2019). When patients are not satisfied, the management may opt to relieve some workers of their duties, others may also leave due to dissatisfaction, and this increases nursing shortage within the organization. The purpose of this paper is to examine relevant policies that may be used in addressing the two competing needs that are related to the issue of nursing shortage as a stressor.

Findings show that religious engagement among students declines during college, but their spirituality shows substantial growth. “Students become more caring, more tolerant, more connected with others, and more actively engaged in a spiritual quest.” (“Cultivating the Spirit – Spirituality in Higher Education”) The authors also found that spiritual growth enhances other outcomes, such as academic performance, psychological well-being, leadership development, and satisfaction with college. The study also identified a number of college activities that contribute to students’ spiritual growth. Some of these–study abroad, interdisciplinary studies, and service learning–appear to be effective because they expose students to new and diverse people, cultures, and ideas. Spiritual development is also enhanced if students engage in “inner work” through activities such as meditation or self-reflection, or if their professors actively encourage them to explore questions of meaning and purpose. (“Cultivating the Spirit – Spirituality in Higher (Alexander W, 2010)”). By raising public awareness of the key role that spirituality plays in student learning and development, by alerting academic administrators, faculty, and curriculum committees to the importance of spiritual development, and by identifying strategies for enhancing that development, this work encourages institutions to give greater priority to these spiritual aspects of students’ educational and professional development.

NURS 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues

Resources are limited, and competition for them occurs on a daily basis in all organizations (Laureate Education, n.d. b). The workforce, resources, and patient needs are frequently at odds in a healthcare setting (Laureate Education, n.d. a). Competing needs arise in any organization as employees strive to meet their goals and leaders strive to achieve company goals (Laureate Education, n.d. b). Nurse leaders frequently face ethical quandaries, such as those associated with balancing competing needs and limited resources (Laureate Education) (n.d. b). As a professional nursing healthcare industry leader, it is critical to understand the effects of competing needs on policies.

Policy is heavily influenced by competing needs such as those of the healthcare workforce, resources, and patients. As previously stated, there is a growing consensus that the health care workforce in the United States needs to be reconfigured to meet the needs of a rapidly and permanently redesigned health care system (Rickets & Fraher, 2013). A shortage of medical professionals may result in the health-care system’s quality and effectiveness deteriorating (Johansen, 2017). If it weren’t for different policies in different locations, Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) could alleviate some of the healthcare workforce shortage constraints. Many policies require the APRN to work under the supervision of a licensed physician even after completing the clinical practice hours required to function independently. Legislators must recognize that allowing APRNs to practice without supervision can significantly increase the healthcare workforce ratio, decrease employee burnout, and improve patient outcomes.

Healthcare professionals are a critical resource for the healthcare industry’s success. The global impact of the healthcare professional shortage cannot be overstated. The sector’s lack of professionals has a direct impact on patient care and outcomes. Inadequate nurse-to-patient ratios frequently lead to subpar care and poor patient outcomes. Policy is influenced by a reduced workforce at the organizational, state, and federal levels. Many professionals believe that policies in all care settings should reflect an adequate nurse-to-patient ratio. Enacting policies at the organizational, state, and federal levels, for example, limiting nurse-to-patient ratios in the medical-surgical setting to 4:1.

Patients’ competing needs vary greatly. The workforce shortage has a significant impact on patients’ varying needs. Patients’ needs influence policy in a variety of ways. One of the patient’s needs, for example, is access to healthcare. Recent policies have attempted to address this concern by utilizing telehealth to reach patients in rural areas. Telehealth, like other methods, has advantages and disadvantages, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

References

Johansen, R. (2017). Future Challenges Facing Health Care in the United States. Retrieved from Future Challenges Facing Health Care in the United States – Panmore Institute

Laureate Education. (n.d. a). Assignment: Developing Organizational Policies and Practices. Retrieved from Module 2 (laureate.net)

Laureate Education. (n.d. b). Discussion: Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues. Retrieved from Module 2 (laureate.net)

Ricketts, T. C., & Fraher, E. P. (2013). Reconfiguring Health Workforce Policy so that Education, Training, and Actual Delivery of Care are Closely Connected. Health Affairs, 32(11), 1874-80. Retrieved from https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Freconfiguring-health-workforce-policy-so-that%2Fdocview%2F1458313016%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D14872

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.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I agree, the nursing shortage is a an extremely important issue that needs resolution. I had not heard of nursing students being given temporary licenses to work prior to reading your post. According to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, an executive order was placed in March of 2020 allowing for out-of-state practitioners, retired healthcare professionals, recent graduates, and graduate pharmacists to practice under temporary licenses (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, n.d.). I suppose, desperate times calls for desperate measures and during the pandemic, this was the case. With so many factors effecting the need of nursing professionals, the problem is sure to persist. Many issues continue to influence the need for healthcare providers such as, cost-containment pressures, hospital consolidation, reduction in inpatient hospitalization, increased acuity of hospital patients, and a shift in outpatient care from hospitals to ambulatory and community-based settings (Peterson, 2001). How do you think we as healthcare providers can contribute to promoting the healthcare profession and helping in times of shortage?

References:

Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. (n.d.). COVID-19 Temporary Healthcare Provider Registry. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.in.gov/pla/covid-19-temporary-healthcare-provider-registry/

Peterson, C. P. (2001). Nursing Shortage: Not a Simple Problem – No Easy Answers. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing6(1). Retrieved from https://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume62001/No1Jan01/ShortageProblemAnswers.html

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.

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 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues
The creation of a new policy or revision of an existing one can be influenced by the particular requirements of a unit or facility. Most healthcare facilities are plagued by a severe scarcity of qualified staff, which has a negative impact on the effectiveness of their departments. Employee burnout, medical mistakes, prescription errors, subpar clinical judgment, and a lack of patient safety are all consequences of a lack of qualified personnel. Staff member’s “capacity to deliver quality patient care” is affected and may allow them to disengage from their profession because of emotional anguish (Laureate Education, 2009, 3:24). Prescription drug overdose has been the most prevalent healthcare issue on my unit, which is a dual diagnosis and chemical dependency unit. Many essential issues are neglected when the unit is understaffed. Suppose a new patient is admitted without a thorough inspection of their personal effects. In her haste, the counselor assistant (CA) neglects to check the patient’s jacket pocket, where she finds the Seroquel 300 mg prescription bottle. The patient goes to bed and takes the prescribed Seroquel 300 mg that she brought with her after the nurse administers the prescription. Depending on her goals, the patient may choose to take higher doses. Small errors can have severe consequences, such as an overdose on the unit. As a nurse who is already overworked, this is even additional strain.
The nurse-patient ratio in a detox unit should be 1:7, according to Joint Commission policy. This ratio only works when we have all of our employees on board. Despite the fact that we adhere to this guideline, there are times when a single nurse is tasked with caring for as many as 21 detox patients. Taking care of patients who vomit, complain, curse, and yell incessantly has left the detox nurse exhausted. It is possible for employee burnout to have a detrimental impact on their work performance and create a toxic work environment (Kelly & Porr, 2018). Covid-19 had a negative impact on my unit before to Thanksgiving. A new patient, who had no symptoms of Covid-19, was brought in and the virus quickly spread across the facility. A total of 14 members of the medical staff were impacted, and half of the patients were relocated to the Covid-unit as a result. Because of the lack of personnel, this posed a more serious problem. To avoid staff burnout, nursing supervisors should take into account the unit’s workload while determining staffing requirements. Management and administration nurses bear a special duty for creating an atmosphere that encourages and allows effective delegation of duties (American Nurses Association, 2015, p. 33). Some examples of effective ways for improving unit functions and performance include better communication, productive teamwork, and rewards.

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References

American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Silver Springs, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only
Kelly, P., & Porr, C. (2018). Ethical nursing care versus cost containment: Considerations to enhance RN practice. OJIN: Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(1), Manuscript 6. DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No01Man06. Retrieved from http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-23-2018/No1-Jan-2018/Ethical-Nursing-Cost-Containment.html
Laureate Education (Producer). (2009b). Working with individuals [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: RE: Discussion – Week 3

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Hello ,
This is a very interesting post you have here. I agree with you that staffing shortage is a major healthcare issue that needs to be looked into and addressed diligently especially considering that it can cause staff burnout which can have a negative impact on the performance of nurses and ultimately patient care. Studies have shown that medical malpractices such as medication errors which lead to increased incidence of readmission is linked to nurse burnout. Nurse burnout is a phenomenon characterized by a reduction in nurses’ energy that manifests in emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation, and feelings of frustration and may lead to reductions in work efficacy (Mudallal, R. H., Othman, W. M., & Al Hassan, N. F. 2017). Nurses experiencing burnout have been found to become detached from their jobs allowing errors due to absent mindedness to increase exponentially. Nursing shortages lead to errors, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. In hospitals with high patient-to-nurse ratios, nurses experience burnout, dissatisfaction, and the patients experienced higher mortality and failure-to-rescue rates than facilities with lower patient-to-nurse ratios (Haddad L. M., Toney-Butler, T. J, 2020).
It is also very interesting that you mentioned your experience currently with the pandemic as my organization is also experiencing similar staff shortage due to infected nursing staff members that have to self-isolate. The management in my organization have continued to help alleviate the effect of the stress on us by recruiting new nurses via nursing agencies, ensuring that nurse managers take up clinical duties and introducing renumeration such as additional pay to nurses on duty. I hope to read more of your posts and wish you good luck.

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NURS 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues
NURS 6052 Organizational Policies and Practices to Support Healthcare Issues

References

Haddad L. M, Toney-Butler, T. J [2020]. Nursing Shortage. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/
Mudallal, R. H., Othman, W. M., & Al Hassan, N. F. (2017). Nurses’ Burnout: The Influence of Leader Empowering Behaviors, Work Conditions, and Demographic Traits. Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financing, 54, 46958017724944. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958017724944

NURS 6052 Week 3 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.

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.

Competing needs arise within any organization as healthcare workers seek to meet their targets and leaders seek to meet hospital goals. Either targets or goals require establishing priorities and allocating resources. For example, a policy addressing adequate nurse staffing is essential to meet the patient and workforce needs while minimizing hospital cost. However, utilizing in more nursing staff might result in economic inefficiencies along with misallocated resources.

The shortage of staff is connected with negative impacts; including lower quality and quantity of care because there are few resources to offer. Work overload to the existing nurses lead to burnout, and eventually compromising patient safety. Nursing shortage policies are constantly supported by current literature and they vary from country to country. However, there is continuous effort to modify certain aspect such as pay agreements, emergency hiring plans and RN residency programs to improve working environment for nurses (Park & Yu, 2019). Nurses should also voice their opinion on ways to resolve competing needs; the culture of silence creates a culture of acceptance and continues to suppress nursing professional knowledge (Kelly & Porr, 2018).

Competing needs that may impact nursing shortage is aging population in which baby boomer entering the age of increased need for health services. Which would require more students to enroll into the nursing program today and hire more educators to provide students with proper training. Another contributing factor is nurse burnout, statistics shows a national turnover rates is 8.8% to 37% (Lisa et al., 2020). Nurses are experiencing burnout daily and leaving the profession for better opportunities or advancing in their career. Ensure an optimal nurse to patient ratios to improve nurse staffing and improve quality of care delivered. Lastly, workload and work environment has forced hospitals to reduce staffing and implement mandatory overtime polices to ensure nurses would be available to work when the number of patients admitted increased unexpectedly. Furthermore, increase the workload to decrease on health care costs.

A policy might address these competing needs by ensuring an optimal nurse to patient ratio which can improve care outcomes for patients and ensure patient safety. Healthcare policymakers’ involvement in developing a staffing policy in every organization to improve working conditions (such as working hours, violence in workplace, managing workload) for the nurses staff to improve competencies and better job satisfaction. Ensure adequate government funding to allocate resources for training and clinical skills without causing strains on the government and organization budget. Also, devote resources toward increasing nurses wages; a token of appreciation for their dedicated and hard work.

References

Haddad, L.M., Annamaraju, P., & Toney-Butler, T.J. (2020). Nursing Shortage. Retrieved June 15, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/

Kelly, P., & Porr, C. (2018). Ethical nursing care versus cost containment: Considerations to enhance RN practice. OJIN: Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(1), Manuscript 6. doi: 10.3912/OJIN. Vol23No01Man06. Retrieved from http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-23-2018/No1-Jan-2018/Ethical-Nursing-Cost-Containment.html

Park, H., & Yu, S. (2019). Effective policies for eliminating nursing workforce shortages: A systematic review. In Health Policy and Technology, 8(3), 296-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlpt.2019.08.003

NURS_6053_Module02_Week03_Discussion_Rubric

Excellent Good Fair Poor
Main Posting
Points Range: 45 (45%) – 50 (50%)

Answers all parts of the discussion question(s) expectations with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.

Supported by at least three current, credible sources.

Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.

Points Range: 40 (40%) – 44 (44%)

Responds to the discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.

At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth.

Supported by at least three credible sources.

Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.

Points Range: 35 (35%) – 39 (39%)

Responds to some of the discussion question(s).

One or two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed.

Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.

Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.

Post is cited with two credible sources.

Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors.

Contains some APA formatting errors.

Points Range: 0 (0%) – 34 (34%)

Does not respond to the discussion question(s) adequately.

Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria.

Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.

Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.

Contains only one or no credible sources.

Not written clearly or concisely.

Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors.

Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style.

Main Post: Timeliness
Points Range: 10 (10%) – 10 (10%)
Posts main post by day 3.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not post by day 3.
First Response
Points Range: 17 (17%) – 18 (18%)

Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.

Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.

Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.

Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.

Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.

Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.

Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

Points Range: 15 (15%) – 16 (16%)

Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.

Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.

Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.

Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.

Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

Points Range: 13 (13%) – 14 (14%)

Response is on topic and may have some depth.

Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.

Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.

Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited.

Points Range: 0 (0%) – 12 (12%)

Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.

Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.

Responses to faculty questions are missing.

No credible sources are cited.

Second Response
Points Range: 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)

Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.

Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.

Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.

Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.

Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.

Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.

Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

Points Range: 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)

Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.

Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.

Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.

Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.

Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

Points Range: 12 (12%) – 13 (13%)

Response is on topic and may have some depth.

Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.

Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.

Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited.

Points Range: 0 (0%) – 11 (11%)

Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.

Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.

Responses to faculty questions are missing.

No credible sources are cited.

Participation
Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on 3 different days.
Total Points: 100