Week 2 discussion: LEADERSHIP IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY
The arrangement of staff in an organization defines work efficiency. Employees have the potential to meet goals set by an organization. The need to mix employees impacts work output and sharing information that would heighten the service delivery (Ocho et al., 2020). The purpose of this discussion is to determine how well the clinical setting staffs its units.
System Used To Determine Staffing
Technology has been driving the staffing system in my unit. The organization used Intelligent Medical Software (IMS) that covers every aspect of the patient care delivery process. The system organizes staff on their areas of expertise with every employee slotted in the unit to meet the core values. This system has played an important role in mixing employees and ensuring that each employee performs a task suited to do.
The Patient Classification System
The Patient Classification System (PCS) is the system used to classify patients in healthcare. My organization uses the prototype evaluation system where patients are grouped into five different categories. The first category is are those patients with non-chronic, episodic disease or disability. The second category is those with chronic illnesses who need high-level care to achieve their health goals. The third category is chronic patients out of danger and needs high-level functioning to live a healthy life. The fourth category is those with chronic illness and can receive treatment at home (Ocho et al., 2020). The last category is patients with an end-stage illness where care given defines their safety. The system is commercial and not developed by the hospital but can be applied by any health care unit with a wide range of patients.
Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
Our nurse-to-patient ratio 1:4. This ratio implies that one nurse takes care of four patients every time they are on duty. The typical nurse-to-patient ratio should be 1:2 or even fewer for effective quality of service delivery in health care. Our health care unit has a higher ratio that increases fatigue among nurses and causes stress for nurses at work.
Staff Mix
The grouping of nurses in our unit aligns with the skilled nurses. The technical nurses and practical nurses have different skills that have an objective role in the unit. Therefore, each department has a mixture of nurses with technical and practical skills to meet the quality goals of the unit. Our unit utilizes LPNs to work closely with RNs to meet the needs of the health care. The role of LPNs in the unit has been extensive in ensuring that each patient receives the care that aligns with their conditions. The LPNs perform routine assessments and monitor patients in the unit. The unit utilizes the work of the non-licensed personnel, where their role is mainly to document, report clinical and treatment information and observe.
Cross-Training of Staff
The nurses in my health care unit have the skills to occupy multiple positions in health care. The role of the nurse is wide, and it forms a major pillar in the nursing department. The basic knowledge that nurses receive from colleges does not suffice to prepare the nurses to work in a health care department. The learning from the medical schools’ trains nurses on the theoretical aspect of the work they will be doing in the field (Ocho et al., 2020). I believe that nurse practitioners’ training in the field plays an important role in health care. The management of health care units has a better functioning system that prepares nurses to face any medical situation that might face them in the line of duty.
Week 2 discussion LEADERSHIP IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY Conclusion
Clinical staffing in our health care unit has been the main reason behind the improved quality of health care. Nurses that can attend to many health care situations provide the management with the most comprehensive solution to numerous problems facing patients in a health care institution.
Week 2 discussion LEADERSHIP IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY References
Ocho, O. N., Wheeler, E., Sheppard, C., Caesar‐Greasley, L. A., Rigby, J., & Tomblin Murphy, G. (2020). Nurses’ preparation for transitioning into positions of leadership—A Caribbean perspective. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(6), 1356-1363. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13089
Successful health organizations globally recognize the importance of teamwork. Teamwork enables health organizations to achieve their set missions and objectives efficiency. By having employees working in terms, health organizations build culture of collectivism in the undertaking of organizational tasks. Nurse leaders and managers have the responsibility of ensuring that effective teams are established in their organizations. They also have the responsibility of uniting the team members to work towards the realization of a common organizational goal. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the process of team formation using Tuckman’s model of team formation. It explores stages of team formation that will be utilized that include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
Forming
As noted above, I will utilize Tuckman’s model of team formation in establishing the team. The first step that will be adopted from the model is forming. Forming entails the selection of individuals that will participate in the team activities. The selection of individuals will be done based on characteristics such as level of education, experience, availability, influence over others, and leadership abilities. The group members in the forming stage often rely on safe behaviors, as they rely mainly on the group leader for guidance. They also strive to be accepted by the other members. The team members also aim at simplifying tasks of the group to avoid conflicts and controversies (Guttenberg, 2020). As a result, they avoid complex topics and issues that could cause misunderstanding among them.
I will adopt a number of interventions to achieve successful formation of the team in this stage. They will include orienting the team members about the purpose of the team, encouraging open communication, facilitating consultative discussions and addressing the needs and concerns of the team members (Poston et al., 2017). I will also encourage the team members to express their fears and concerns that they have towards the interventions needed to achieve the aims of the team.
Storming
The second step that will be adopted from Tuckman’s model in forming the team is storming. Conflicts in personal relations and competition characterize this stage of team formation. The team members experience conflicts as they try to undertake the team activities. The conflicts arise from the differences in their personal attributes and understanding of the ways in which the team activities can be undertaken. It is therefore important for the team members to be adaptive for them to suit the needs of the team (Jones, 2019). The team members also seek clarifications on the individuals assigned different responsibilities of the team activities.
I will adopt a number of interventions to ensure successful storming is achieved in team formation. One of the interventions will be assigning specific individuals the responsibilities of leading the execution of team activities. I will also assist the team members in understanding the diversity in perspective and needs of the others and ways in which mutually agreed goals could be made. I will also listen to their concerns and work with them in developing effective and universal solutions to eliminate conflicts in the future. The additional interventions that I will utilize will include taking risks, asserting power, developing a defined reward structure, setting goals, being directive, and bringing the group members together (Black et al., 2019).
Norming
The third step that will be utilized in team formation, as adopted from Tuckman’s model is norming. In this stage, cohesion characterizes interpersonal relationships among the team members. The team members play an active role in recognizing their contributions for the success of the group. They engage in activities such as community building as well as maintenance and active exploration of solutions to the group issues that team members experience. The team members are also ready to forego their ideas if presented with facts by other members of the group (Serenhov & Kaldera Hollu Pathiranage, 2021). The level of trust also rises significantly in this stage, which leads to enhanced group cohesion.
I will therefore adopt several interventions in this stage to strengthen team cohesion. One of the interventions will be encouraging free flow of information among the team members. The team members should be informed about the events of the group to enable them to play an active role in the activities of the group. I will also encourage open communication. Open communication will strengthen trust and transparency in the undertaking of the activities of the team. I will also encourage active participation of the team members in team activities. Active participation will promote ownership by the team members and sustainability of the change initiatives. The additional interventions that I will adopt in this stage will include reinforcing positive behaviors, recognizing team wins, agreeing on individual responsibilities, creating a shared vision, and asking and expecting results to ensure team ownership of the group strategies (Black et al., 2019). Through the above, I will be able to stabilize the team, hence, its success in implementing the planned activities.
Performing
The fourth step that will be utilized in team formation is performing. Performing is the stage where the team members have developed the competence to work independently in activities that underpin the objective of the team. The team members also demonstrate significant adaptability to emerging needs in their organization as well as changes in the team dynamics. There is also an increase in the interdependence in the relationship among the team members. They work together in solving the issues that may be experienced in executing team tasks. The productivity level among the team members also rise significantly. Each of the team members is task and people oriented. As a result, organizations benefit from enhanced efficiency in the undertaking of tasks (Fink-Samnick, 2020). The unity among the team members ensures the adoption of optimal solutions to address the inherent challenges that the team members may experience.
I will adopt a number of interventions to ensure that this stage of team formation is successful. Firstly, I will guide the team members in implementing new, innovative interventions for task undertaking in the team and organization. Innovation is important in the performing stage to encourage the team members engage in activities that enhance their productivity in their assigned tasks. I will also encourage teamwork in problem solving. Teamwork in problem solving will expand the understanding of the team members about the critical factors that are essential for the sustainability of team activities. I will also share responsibility, reward success, maintain team traditions, and set high goals to ensure continuous improvement in the team (Poston et al., 2017). Lastly, I will encourage responsibility among the team members as a way of empowering them and increasing their level of autonomy.
Adjourning
The last step that I will utilize in team formation is adjourning. Adjourning will entail the termination of the task behaviors as well as disengaging relationships among the team members. I will achieve this objective by recognizing the critical role that each of the team members played in ensuring the success of the team activities. I will also give the team members the opportunities to express their gratitude to others for the role they plated in the process (Serenhov & Kaldera Hollu Pathiranage, 2021). Interventions that facilitate disengagement and task termination such as allocating specific tasks to team members and assigning them new duties will be utilized in this phase.
Week 2 discussion LEADERSHIP IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY Conclusion
In conclusion, teams are important for the success of healthcare organizations. Nurses should have adequate knowledge and skills in forming teams in their practice. Team formation can be achieved using models such as Tuckman’s model of team formation. Therefore, I will utilize the knowledge gained from this exercise to strengthen team efficiency in my healthcare organization.
Week 2 discussion LEADERSHIP IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY References
Black, S., Gardner, D. G., Pierce, J. L., & Steers, R. (2019). Team Development Over Time. https://opentextbc.ca/organizationalbehavioropenstax/chapter/team-development-over-time/
Fink-Samnick, E. (2020). Leveraging Interprofessional Team-Based Care Toward Case Management Excellence: Part 2, Team Development, Interprofessional Team Activation, and Sustainability. Professional Case Management, 25(1), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCM.0000000000000393
Guttenberg, J. L. (2020). Group development model and Lean Six Sigma project team outcomes. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 11(4), 635–661. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-09-2018-0101
Jones, D. A. (2019). The Tuckman’s Model Implementation, Effect, and Analysis & the New Development of Jones LSI Model on a Small Group (SSRN Scholarly Paper ID 3525281). Social Science Research Network. https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3525281
Poston, R., Haney, T., Kott, K., & Rutledge, C. (2017). Interprofessional team performance, optimized. Nursing Management, 48(7), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000520722.55679.7c
Serenhov, O., & Kaldera Hollu Pathiranage, P. P. (2021). Team Development in Global Virtual Teams: Application of Tuckman’s Team Development model. http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9057580