HSM 541;– Health Service Systems Week-2-You-Decide

YOU DECIDE 2 It is critical that we make employee morale a priority in health care, if we are not actively working to improve it, we are neglecting it. In general, frontline healthcare staff are quickly burning out du ...

YOU DECIDE 2 It is critical that we make employee morale a priority in health care, if we are not actively working to improve it, we are neglecting it. In general, frontline healthcare staff are quickly burning out due to stress, fatigue, and possibly feeling unappreciated. The morale of the staff needs to be viewed in the same light as performance metrics, or the next round of accreditation requirements. The token gifts of pens, and t-shirts only serve to exacerbate the feeling of marginalization and unimportance. When the culture is poor, and the employees feel unappreciated, it is more difficult to both recruit and retain staff, especially with a new facility across town. Means to help overcome workforce shortages require investment in both the physical plant and the people. Updating some technology, while expensive will help the staff be more efficient at their jobs. When considering such upgrades, we must query those that will be using the product, and most importantly listen to them [ CITATION Alt18 \l 1033 ]. By updating the technology within the facility, some of the stress from the staffing shortages may be alleviated by increasing efficiencies. This would not completely solve the staffing issues, simply would minimize some of the effects by allowing for automation of processes that do not necessarily need to be completed by a human. Updating of technology is not limited to software and artificial intelligence (AI), but is also updating things like MRI and CT scanners. By having newer machines on site for diagnostic testing, efficiencies can be increased that impact care delivery, improving things for both patients and staff. Tests can be performed more quickly in the lab with updated machines, and CT/MR imaging can be completed quicker on newer machines with better detail. Having test results back quicker may help reduce care delivery issues for physicians, and potentially increase their satisfaction with care delivery at the facility [ CITATION Aus17 \l 1033 ]. While these recommendations may help alleviate some of the stress from low staffing, they do not solve the lack of human resources. A quick fix for this is to review resources across the hospital to This study source was downloaded by 100000815926942 from CourseHero.com on 05-06-2021 00:11:44 GMT -05:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/76659295/Week-2-You-Decidedocx/ This study resource was shared via CourseHero.com YOU DECIDE 3 see if staff could be shifted from one area to another (such as from clinic to hospital). Another, while expensive, is to utilize locum staff for all positions in a crisis state. In the meantime, the hiring criteria need to be reviewed with a keen eye, and which criteria for each position are crucial vs desired. Holding out for the ideal resume means that we may be overlooking other well-qualified candidates because their resume doesn’t match perfectly [ CITATION Wal20 \l 1033 ]. If the facility is using an AI interface for determining which applications make it through, I suggest cease use of it immediately. Another priority will be looking at the recruitment and retention of staff, particularly nursing staff. If the facility does not have one in place, a Nurse Residency program would be recommended to help with staffing by having a nurse in the final year of nursing school training under a licensed nurse within the facility and having him/her learn the job. This residency program could also function as a partnership with the college, as the facility could look within its seasoned nursing staff for candidates that may be willing to move from bedside care to teach nursing classes on a part time basis with the college. This is also a talent pipeline, though it bears importance that the residency is as much of a candidate interview as it is one of the work environments as well. A culture shift is also likely necessary, and a more positive attitude about looking for ways to make things better is needed. A veteran nurse displaying an attitude of “it’s no big deal, just buck up,” is counterproductive to making improvements. A financial investment in staff wages, retention bonuses, and hiring bonuses may also bear consideration. While the expense of investing in these things is high, it is not as high as constant turnover. Looking to invest in the current staff by offering training opportunities for advancement is another way to help get staff into chronically understaffed areas.