The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report on To Err is Human increased awareness of the importance of improving healthcare services quality. The IOM developed a framework that underscored the need to establish healthcare strategies that emphasize safe, patient-centered, effective, efficient, and equitable healthcare to all patients (Robertson-Preidler, Biller-Andorno, & Johnson, 2017). I would use the above-mentioned structure created as a guide to enhance better health outcomes and quality of healthcare services offered in the workplace setting. Adhering to the scheme recommended by the IOM means promoting patient-clinician communication and relationships, providing culturally-competent care, and fostering shared decision-making. Another strategy for delivering the appropriate patient care level involves applying the Triple Aim initiative principles, which emphasizes improving patient experiences. In the COVID-19 pandemic context, I would ensure that individuals’ needs are catered for regardless of the surge in infected patients.
System improvement initiatives may also be utilized to improve the quality of healthcare provided in the healthcare setting. According to a recent IOM report, most medical errors and patient safety issues in the U.S. typically emanate from defective healthcare systems and processes (Robertson-Preidler et al., 2017). With this in mind, I would develop a quality improvement initiative that aims to ensure that the hospital offers the proper care level to patients. The aforementioned project will involve developing a clear vision and strategy to guide the organization in the right direction. As change managers, nurse leaders are expected to identify areas of improvement, develop a vision for organizational transformation, and steer the workforce towards attaining this goal. Performance indicators would later be created to measure best practices; this approach will help determine the program’s successful nature. I would use the transformational leadership approach to implement the identified strategies. The aforementioned management style emphasizes various fundamental principles, including individual consideration, intellectual simulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence.
Strategies for Protecting Healthcare Personnel and Non-Covid-19 Patients
Protecting healthcare workers’ (HCW) physical and psychological well-being and patients is a crucial responsibility for all nurses. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a considerable percentage of HCW in the U.S. are older adults, who, according to Ehrlich, McKenney, and Elkbul (2020), are at a significant exposure risk for COVID-19 and its complications. In addition to the physical health threats, the HCWs have been subjected to high mental stress emanating from an increased workload, isolation from their families, and fear of the virus. According to Ehrlich et al. (2020), this psychiatric distress can lead to depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic disorder. Given that quality patient care heavily depends on caregivers’ well-being, it is essential to protect HCW’s health.
Creating a safety culture within the workplace can help safeguard HCW’s health and other patients. According to Roussel, Thomas, and Harris (2016), organizational safety culture can influence safety behaviors throughout the workforce. I would standardize the organization’s best practices and develop procedures that ensure patients’ safe passage from admission to discharge to establish the hospital’s safety culture. Techniques such as daily briefings and safety huddles may also be used to embed this tradition in the healthcare setting. I would also engage the appropriate staff in developing scientifically reasonable work schedules that prioritize patients’ well-being while considering healthcare workers’ individual needs and the nursing shortage scenario. The aforementioned strategy might help reduce work fatigue and mental distress associated with the increased workload caused by the outbreak.
Safety training would also be conducted to improve awareness regarding the pandemic’s psychological effects on healthcare workers. Furthermore, an infection control framework, such as the observing system adopted by the Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital in China, may also be established (Huang, Lin, Tang, Yu, & Zhou, 2020). This innovation offers real-time monitoring and facilitates the instant correction of safety-related mistakes. The democratic leadership principles will be used to ensure the effective implementation of the above-mentioned strategies. These principles include collaboration, shared participation in decision-making, shared accountability, ongoing-training, and mutual respect through open communication.
Preparing for a Surge in Patients with Respiratory Infections
Nurses play a critical role in preparing and reacting to disasters. All healthcare organizations are expected to create systems that emphasize the effective response to threats, especially during an outbreak. In preparation for a surge in the number of patients, I would optimize nursing resources within the organization and prioritize staff’s safety. According to Martland, Huffines, and Henry (n.d.), ensuring the nursing staff’s resilience and safety is key in disaster preparedness. In anticipation of nurse shortages, I would identify alternate staffing sources, including identifying nurses with prior clinical experience, such as retired or qualified nurses who have transitioned to other healthcare settings to supplement the existing workforce. A team-based approach will also be developed to increase the skill mix and the hospital’s team capacity. Establishing a mechanism to address nurse and patient’s concerns might help handle staff mental health issues (Martland et al., n.d.). I would also train staff on personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization and self-care to improve their safety and oversee a safety officer’s recruitment. The strategic management principles, including shared responsibility, honesty, open communication, collaboration, self-awareness and improvement, on-going learning, and hiring for transformation, will be applied during the implementation of the identified strategies.
Staff and Equipment Shortage
Recently, CDC reported that increasing PPE in hospitals would significantly reduce the pandemic’s transmission. Unfortunately, many healthcare organizations have failed to provide adequate PPE to their patients and HCW due to poor budgeting models. According to a review by Cohen and van der Meulen Rodgers (2020), many U.S-based healthcare settings’ costing models are dysfunctional because they prioritize cost-minimization rather than workers’ health. Since healthcare organizations are reimbursed for implementing strategies that help reduce healthcare costs, most institutions defray costs at the expense of worker’s safety. To resolve this problem, I would eliminate the profit motive when buying and maintaining PPE inventories. Instead of focusing on decreasing expenses to enhance better corporate profits, I would prioritize workforce safety. This approach will probably trigger increased healthcare costs and, therefore, might face resistance from various stakeholders. Although all nurses are mandated to be advocates, nurse leaders are at the forefront of advocating for their patients’ and staff’s safety. With effective advocacy, I will ensure that adequate resources are allocated to purchase necessary medical equipment, including PPE.
The nursing shortage is increasingly becoming problematic in the healthcare industry. Following the pandemic’s onset, several nurses resigned from the workforce, worsening the existing problem. Given that nurse shortage is a national problem, meeting the organization’s staffing needs requires creativity. To resolve this issue, I would create a positive working environment to retain existing staff. The aforementioned approach involves improving communication practices, reduce work-related stress, and empowering nurses through professional development programs. According to Haddad, Annamaraju, and Toney-Butler (2020), a positive work environment can rejuvenate and retain the nursing workforce. Haddad et al. (2020) also recommend providing nurses with the autonomy in deciding staffing ratios and patient acuity to reduce nurse burnout. The democratic leadership precepts will be used to ensure the effective implementation of the above-mentioned strategies. These principles include collaboration, shared participation in decision-making, shared accountability, and mutual respect through open communication.
Leaders Who Would Collaborate with My Team
- Clinical leadership such as medical and clinical service directors and the chief executive officer
- Billing department head
- Finance manager
- Practice manager
- Operations manager
- Patient representatives
- Case managers
References
Cohen, J., & van der Meulen Rodgers, Y. (2020). Contributing factors to personal protective equipment shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventive Medicine, 141, 1−15. Web.
Ehrlich, H., McKenney, M., & Elkbuli, A. (2020). Protecting our healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 38(7), 1527–1528. Web.
Haddad, L. M., Annamaraju, P., & Toney-Butler, T. J. (2020). Nursing shortage. Web.
Huang, L., Lin, G., Tang, L., Yu, L., Zhou, Z. (2020). Special attention to nurses’ protection during the COVID-19 epidemic. BMC Critical Care, 24, 1–3. Web.
Martland, M., Huffines, M., & Henry, K. (n.d.). Surge priority planning covid-19: Critical care staffing and nursing considerations. Web.
Robertson-Preidler, J., Biller-Andorno, N., & Johnson, T. J. (2017). What is appropriate care? An integrative review of emerging themes in the literature. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1), 1–17. Web.
Roussel, L. A., Thomas, T., & Harris, L. J. (2016). Management and leadership for nurse administrators (8th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Barlett Learning.