NURS 6053 WEEK 1 Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue
Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue
Patients always look forward to receiving high-quality care in healthcare facilities. However, healthcare providers do not always address patient needs comprehensively. Staffing shortages, resource problems, nurses’ health, and other factors inhibit safe, effective, and efficient care. The organizational leadership should liaise with nursing professionals and stakeholders to evaluate issues hampering care quality and patient safety to provide sustainable solutions. Like other work settings, this organization encounters the impacts of national healthcare issues, implying the need for appropriate interventions. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the nursing shortage impacts this setting and appropriate intervention strategies.
Issue Description and Impacts
Staffing problems affect how nurses work and care quality in healthcare facilities. A nursing shortage is a significant national healthcare issue whose in-depth knowledge and a commitment to provide comprehensive solutions should be prioritized by organizational leaders. The issue denotes a workforce where supply does not match the current demand. In the United States, the nursing shortage is depicted as a multidimensional problem caused by increased patient visits in care facilities, high nurse turnover, poor working conditions for nurses, and an aging population (Hamlin, 2023; Tamata, 2023). Understanding its causes and severity at the organizational level is the foundation of effective solutions.
Like other issues, organizational leaders and staff can only cooperate to solve an issue when they understand its magnitude accurately. Such an approach characterizes transformational leadership, where leaders inspire followers and work together to address a shared problem (Broome & Marshall, 2021). In the current organization, the nursing shortage is classified among the top three challenges inhibiting organizational success and a priority issue in the strategic management plan. Besides, it is associated with more than 30% of the causes of nurse turnover in the last five years. Nurse burnout due to an increased workload is a key barrier to nurse retention in healthcare organizations (Kelly et al., 2021). Potential impacts of the shortage include overcrowding of patients, patient dissatisfaction with care, and increased spending due to continuous hiring and orientation of new nurses to replace the lost workforce.
Summary of Articles Evaluating the National Healthcare Issue
Nursing research has explored the practicality of various interventions in helping healthcare organizations cope with a nursing shortage. Razai et al. (2023) focused on reducing burnout by improving nurses’ health and well-being. The study demonstrates burnout as a defining element of a stressful work environment, adversely affecting nurses’ ability to meet patient needs and demands. In a different study, Mabona et al. (2022) reviewed the importance of healthy work environments for nurses. In this article, effective nursing leadership, communication, and teamwork have been highlighted as critical determinants of nurses’ satisfaction and optimal performance.
These studies highlight how other healthcare organizations cope with nurse burnout. The central theme is that creating safe and healthy work environments for nurses can improve job satisfaction, prevent job burnout, and empower nurses to meet patient needs. According to Razai et al. (2023), a manageable workload for nurses is a crucial factor for improved nurses’ health and well-being since it prevents burnout. Supporting nurses in implementing individual-focused interventions like mindfulness and stress management has also been highly recommended. Among other strategies, Mabona et al. (2022) underlined the significance of transformational leadership in fostering relationships built on trust and respect. Such leadership provides nurses with the necessary resources and support to overcome workplace stress, encourages professional autonomy, and acknowledges nurses’ engagement and multiple perspectives in decision-making.
Summary of Strategies and Potential Impacts on the Organization
A nursing shortage is a complex healthcare requiring multifaceted interventions. A healthy work environment for nurses, burnout prevention, and supportive leadership are effective evidence-based interventions. Supportive leadership engages healthcare workers and helps them understand and respond to work-related stress (Greco et al., 2022). These interventions can be implemented in the current workplace to improve job satisfaction and nurse retention.
Implementing these interventions may impact the organization in multiple ways that leaders should understand to make informed decisions. Regarding positive impacts, these interventions improve nurses’ health and well-being to help them cope with the shortage effectively. For instance, manageable workload and mindfulness interventions prevent possible workplace stress. However, the organization may spend highly on implementing stress reduction programs. Besides, engaging nurses in decision-making might delay the formulation of some organizational policies. Therefore, a critical balance is crucial for effective, sustainable solutions.
Conclusion
Nursing shortage is a key barrier to high-quality care and healthy work environments for nurses. Its adverse impacts, including job dissatisfaction, nurse turnover, and extended hospital stays, underscore the need for evidence-based, sustainable solutions. As discussed herein, improving nurses’ health and well-being and a commitment to creating safe work environments are crucial to addressing the nursing shortage. Since these interventions achieve different results, organizational leaders should evaluate the most practical and implement them depending on the circumstances and severity of the nursing shortage.
References
Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
Greco, E., Graziano, E. A., Stella, G. P., Mastrodascio, M., & Cedrone, F. (2022). The impact of leadership on perceived work-related stress in healthcare facilities organisations. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(4/5), 734-748. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-07-2021-0201
Hamlin, K. (2023). Why is there a nursing shortage? NurseJournal. https://nursejournal.org/articles/why-is-there-a-nursing-shortage/
Kelly, L. A., Gee, P. M., & Butler, R. J. (2021). Impact of nurse burnout on organizational and position turnover. Nursing Outlook, 69(1), 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.06.008
Mabona, J. F., van Rooyen, D., & Ten Ham-Baloyi, W. (2022). Best practice recommendations for healthy work environments for nurses: an integrative literature review. Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 27, 1788. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v27i0.1788
Razai, M. S., Kooner, P., & Majeed, A. (2023). Strategies and interventions to improve healthcare professionals’ well-being and reduce burnout. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 14, 21501319231178641. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231178641
Tamata, A. T., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2023). A systematic review study on the factors affecting shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals. Nursing Open, 10(3), 1247-1257. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1434
ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE
Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue
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.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
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 2, “Transformational Leadership: Complexity, Change, and Strategic Planning” (pp. 34–62)
- Chapter 3, “Current Challenges in Complex Health Care Organizations and the Quadruple Aim” (pp. 66–97)
Read any TWO of the following (plus TWO additional readings on your selected issue):
- Amalberti, R., Vincent, C., Nicklin, W., & Braithwaite, J. (2019). Coping with more people with more illness Part 1: The nature of the challenge and the implications for safety and quality.
- Links to an external site. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 31(2), 154–158.
- Bangani, R. G., Menon, V., & Jovanov, E. (2021). Personalized stress monitoring AI system for healthcare workers
- Links to an external site.. 2021 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM), Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM), 2021 IEEE International Conference On, 2992–2997.
- Carter, M. W., & Busby, C. R. (2023). How can operational research make a real difference in healthcare? Challenges of implementation
- Links to an external site.. European Journal of Operational Research, 306(3), 1059–1068.
- Dixon-Woods, M., McNicol, S., & Martin, G. (2012, October 1). Ten challenges in improving quality in healthcare: lessons from the Health Foundation’s programme evaluations and relevant literature
- Links to an external site.. BMJ Quality & Safety, 21(10), 876.
- Gjellebæk, C., Svensson, A., Bjørkquist, C., Fladeby, N., & Grundén, K. (2020). Management challenges for future digitalization of healthcare services
- Links to an external site.. Futures, 124.
- Greco, E., Graziano, E. A., Stella, G. P., Mastrodascio, M., & Cedrone, F. (2022). The impact of leadership on perceived work-related stress in healthcare facilities organisations
- Links to an external site.. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(4/5), 734-748.
- Hale, K. (2021). Benefits and challenges of social media in health care
- Links to an external site.. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 44(3), 309–315.
- Navaz, A. N., Serhani, M. A., El Kassabi, H. T., Al-Qirim, N., & Ismail, H. (2021). Trends, technologies, and key challenges in smart and connected healthcare
- Links to an external site.. IEEE Access, Access, IEEE, 9, 74044–74067.
- Slonim, A. (2023). Top challenges facing healthcare: Back to basics
- Links to an external site.. Physician Leadership Journal, 10(2), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.55834/plj.2064149664
Academic Support Resources
- Links to an external site.
- Navigate OASIS Resources
- Links to an external site.
- Paraphrase and Summarize Information
- Links to an external site.
- Locate, Cite, and Reference Journal Articles
- Links to an external site.
- Organize and Develop Paragraphs
- Links to an external site.
- Cite and Reference Learning Resources
Required Media
- Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2015). Leading in Healthcare Organizations of the Future [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
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.
The Assignment (2-3 Pages):
Analysis of a Pertinent Healthcare Issue
Develop a 2 to 3 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.
submission information
Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.
- To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK2Assgn_LastName_Firstinitial
- Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
- Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.
Rubric
NURS_6053_Module01_Week02_Assignment_Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Develop a 2-3 page paper, written to your organization’s leadership team, addressing the 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). |
|
25 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome · Provide a 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. |
|
30 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome · Summarize the strategies used to address the organizational impact of national healthcare issues/stressors presented in the scholarly resources you selected. · Explain how the strategies may impact your organization both positively and negatively. Be specific and provide examples. |
|
25 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Resource Synthesis |
|
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 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—English Writing Standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation. |
|
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 pts | ||||