POSITION PAPER
Intro Page
Business Case Analysis
NURS 490W: Nursing Leadership
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Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a problematic situation inherent to the nursing leadership and provide a rational solution which addresses the problem.
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Approach to the Assignment
My approach to this assignment was to devise an intervention after analyzing Monarch General's problem of keeping the 2nd shift staffed. After much investigation and research, I decided to come up with a solution that not only benefited the hospital but also benefited the employees and aimed for a long-term fix rather than a short-term approach.
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Reason for Inclusion
The reason why I feel like this paper should be included is because of how important it is to see one's problem-solving skills and the reasoning behind them. Within this paper, you can see several options included and the research and choice I made to provide a solution. This also showcases leadership skills as well as highlights consideration of the solution for the future.
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Critical Thinking
• Engages in creative problem-solving
Within this Business Case Analysis, I engage in creative problem solving for Monarch General Hospital and its failure to keep the 2nd shift staffed. Several options are provided, but two approaches are reached through research and futuristic problem-solving—first, a float pool to solve the immediate problem. Second, hiring more permanent staff to benefit the future of the unit and personnel.
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Nursing Practice
Establishes and/or utilizes outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of care
This Business Case Analysis (BCA) allowed me to utilize outcome measures that evaluated the effectiveness of care on units that were understaffed such as Monarch General. In an article by Everhart et al. (2013), it was concluded that "Although a greater proportion of RNs may initially contribute to increasing operating costs in hospitals, cost savings and profitability in the long-run are achieved through improved productivity, such as reductions in adverse events (e.g., nosocomial infections), decreased length of stay and more efficient care processes." Acquiring more staff to keep nurse-to-patient ratios safe results in effective patient care.
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Professionalism
Applies an ethical decision-making framework and legal guidelines to clinical situations that incorporate moral concepts, professional ethics, and advocacy for patient well-being preferences
Within the research that was conducted in this BCA an ethical decision-making framework including legal guidelines to this situation were utilized. Moral concepts such as stress and burnout regarding the nursing staff were considered, professional ethics including a promotion of teamwork and the option of mental health treatment and advocating for patient well-being is addressed through the implementation of safe staffing ratios to provide better care for patients. As a healthcare unit advocating for your patients, it is necessary to be their voice and ensure safe staffing. Legally, there are no federal mandates that regulate the number of patients that a single nurse can take care of at one time within hospitals in the United States.
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Reference
Everhart, /D., Neff, D., Al-Amin, M., Nogle, J., & Weech-Maldonado, R. (2013). The effects of nurse staffing on less competitive markets. Health care management review, 38(2), 146–155. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0b013e318257292b