Developing Organizational Policies and Practices

 

Developing Organizational Policies and Practices

 

 

 

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Selected Issue/stressor: Nursing staffing shortages

Introduction 

The global nursing shortage is a significant issue, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s emergence. Healthcare firms have to reevaluate their workforce projections due to substantial changes in healthcare delivery and patients’ ever-changing needs. Based on (Yang & Mason, 2022) notes that the shortage of beds has made the healthcare environment difficult, and nurses are still dealing with patients’ medical regimens and problems they need to familiarize themselves with. The heavy workload, safety concerns, low morale, lack of autonomy, and burnout are all prevalent complaints from nurses(Turale & Nantsupawat, 2021). As a result, there currently needs to be more nurses and a high demand for them. This article summarizes competing demands affecting the nurse shortage and determines pertinent policies and practicesthat may have an impact.

Competing Needs

                The competing needs of workload and work environment primarily influence the nursing shortage. The presence of unsafe and inappropriate working conditions, comprising safety concerns such as harassment and bullying, adversely influences the ability to retain nurses. Nurses in the United States consistently report experiencing workloads and job demands that surpass their capacity. According to (Catton, 2020), nurses express concerns over safety hazards, job discontent, low morale, limited autonomy, inadequate appreciation for their efforts, and the burden of excessive workload leading to burnout. The presence of burnout and unhappiness among healthcare practitioners has been found to have a negative impact on their ability to deliver fundamental care.

Furthermore, these factors contribute to higher dissatisfaction and a greater likelihood of attrition among healthcare professionals. The preservation of nurse personnel is contingent upon the presence of autonomy, whereby the inclusion of nurses in the decision-making process pertaining to their tasks and methodologies is of utmost significance. Furthermore, the absence of respect and the occurrence of bullying serve as factors that contribute to nurses’ attrition. When faced with a shortage of workers, organizations sometimes resort to implementing double shifts to cope with the increased burden, resulting in an inevitable increase in workload before the commencement of overtime(Turale et al., 2020). Furthermore, the remuneration for nurses may be comparatively reduced due to the supplementary hours required to uphold the existing standard of patient care. Consequently, the absence of adequate financial incentives and acknowledgment of employees’ contributions poses challenges to staff retention. Hence, a strong correlation exists between the intention to leave, nursing burnout, and work discontent.

A Relevant Policy or Practice in my organization that may Influence Nursing Shortage

Numerous healthcare organizations are implementing diverse techniques and policies to address and mitigate the scarcity of nurses effectively. Implementing a novel organizational culture is one of the relevant practices to enhance nurse retention rates and mitigate turnover. The organization has devised and executed collaborative activities to enhance staff cohesion. The use of transparency practices within the administration has fostered a culture in which transparent and open communication regarding institutional affairs is prioritized. The firm has also implemented a culture of appreciation by ensuring that staff members perceive value and recognition in all departments. Furthermore, the company is expediting the process of hiring nurses, introducing nurse externship programs, and providing tuition reimbursements as strategies to enhance nurse retention. Therefore, establishing a culture that enhances the empowerment, information dissemination, and support for nurses has resulted in enhanced nursing retention rates and decreased turnover.

The enhancement of the nurse-patient ratio within our facility has resulted in notable improvements in job satisfaction, diminished attrition intentions, and increased staff retention rates. Implementing the patient-to-nurse ratio entails adjusting the ratio to accommodate staffing shortages and ensure that the needs of patients are met. (Tamata et al., 2021) assert that maintaining an adequate staffing level has been shown to have several positive effects, including enhancing nurse retention rates, increasing patient satisfaction, reducing workload and burnout, and decreasing the occurrence of medical errors. Organizations must allocate resources towards the implementation of comprehensive and sustained training programs, as well as fostering ongoing professional development opportunities.

Ethical Considerations and the Policy’s Strengths and Challenges

Organizations have revised their organizational cultures to attract and keep workers in response to the growing nurse shortage. To lead by example, an ethical organizational culture must be established. This transition includes implementing team-building activities, encouraging transparency, and expressing gratitude between departments. These programs encourage, educate, and empower nurses while encouraging moral conduct throughout the entire organization. The company’s principles and ethical standards are also communicated through this cultural transformation, which promotes moral behavior, cooperation, and a happy staff.

Organizational culture can also have negative impacts, encouraging unethical behavior and obstructing open conversations and discipline. Nurse-patient ratios become a moral issue since they affect the standard of treatment and patient satisfaction. More staff directly influences patient safety, but the nursing shortage has created moral conundrums in this area. Even when organizational policies clash with patient welfare, healthcare professionals nonetheless have an ethical obligation to respect those standards(Beitz, 2019).

Although suggested nurse-patient ratios raise expenses, they also prevent medical errors. If some nurses fail to uphold ethical standards, it could also result in an amoral crisis, endangering patient safety. Formal ethics training and professional development communicate an organization’s ethical position. Even while they give nurses the skills and satisfaction they need for their jobs, such initiatives need money and run the risk of losing nurses to other industries. In the end, healthcare companies must strike a balance between professional growth, nurse-patient ratios, and ethical culture(Schlak et al., 2021).

Recommendation on Policy or Practice Changes for the Competing Needs

To balance conflicting needs, several suggestions have been made. The most pertinent advice is for organizations to employ and keep good nurses by giving them a stronger voice, providing them with possibilities for growth, and cultivating a supportive environment. For instance, maintaining nurses’ happiness and satisfaction fosters a more favorable environment that enables businesses to retain their most talented workers(Roth et al., 2021). Additionally, nurses feel more fulfilled and are less likely to quit when an organization supports their professional development and allows them to complete their maximum education. Lastly, involving nurses in decision-making increases their sense of respect and belonging to the organization and lowers their likelihood of quitting. According to(Liu et al., 2018), failing to provide treatment decreases patient safety and increases injury, both of which can lead to civil and criminal prosecution. Low staffing can result in lawsuits since it affects patient outcomes, may even result in patient death, and is therefore costly for nurses and healthcare organizations.

Reference 

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

Catton, H. (2020). Global challenges in health and health care for nurses and midwives everywhere. International Nursing Review, 67(1), 4–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12578

Liu, X., Zheng, J., Liu, K., Baggs, J. G., Liu, J., Wu, Y., & You, L. (2018). Hospital nursing organizational factors, nursing care left undone, and nurse burnout as predictors of patient safety: A structural equation modeling analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 86, 82–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.05.005

Roth, C., Berger, S., Krug, K., Mahler, C., & Wensing, M. (2021). Internationally trained nurses and host nurses’ perceptions of safety culture, work-life-balance, Burnout, and job demand during Workplace Integration: A cross-sectional study. BMC Nursing, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00581-8

Schlak, A. E., Aiken, L. H., Chittams, J., Poghosyan, L., & McHugh, M. (2021). Leveraging the work environment to minimize the negative impact of nurse burnout on patient outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 610. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020610

Tamata, A. T., Mohammadnezhad, M., & Tamani, L. (2021). Registered nurses’ perceptions on the factors affecting nursing shortage in the Republic of Vanuatu Hospitals: A qualitative study. PLOS ONE, 16(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251890

Turale, S., & Nantsupawat, A. (2021). Clinician Mental Health, nursing shortages and the COVID‐19 pandemic: Crises within crises. International Nursing Review, 68(1), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12674

Turale, S., Meechamnan, C., & Kunaviktikul, W. (2020). Challenging Times: Ethics, nursing and the COVID‐19 pandemic. International Nursing Review, 67(2), 164–167. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12598

Yang, Y. T., & Mason, D. J. (2022). Covid-19’s impact on nursing shortages, the rise of travel nurses, and price gouging. Forefront Group. https://doi.org/10.1377/forefront.20220125.695159