Citations APA Format 7th Edition Organizational Policies

3 Citations APA Format 7th Editionorganizational Policies And Practice

Developing Organizational Policies and Practices

Competing needs arise within any organization as employees seek to meet their targets and leaders seek to meet company goals. As a leader, successful management of these goals requires establishing priorities and allocating resources accordingly.

Within a healthcare setting, the needs of the workforce, resources, and patients are often in conflict. Mandatory overtime, implementation of staffing ratios, use of unlicensed assisting personnel, and employer reductions of education benefits are examples of practices that might lead to conflicting needs in practice. Leaders can contribute to both the problem and the solution through policies, action, and inaction. In this Assignment, you will further develop the white paper you began work on in Module 1 by addressing competing needs within your organization. To Prepare: · Review the national healthcare issue/stressor you examined in your Assignment for Module 1, and review the analysis of the healthcare issue/stressor you selected. · Identify and review two evidence-based scholarly resources that focus on proposed policies/practices to apply to your selected healthcare issue/stressor. · Reflect on the feedback you received from your colleagues on your Discussion post regarding competing needs.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Healthcare organizations continuously grapple with balancing the diverse and often conflicting needs of their workforce, resources, and patients. These competing needs significantly influence the development and implementation of organizational policies aimed at improving healthcare delivery, ensuring safety, and maintaining ethical standards. Understanding how these needs intersect and conflict is essential for nurse leaders and policymakers to craft effective strategies that promote quality care while addressing organizational constraints.

Overview of the Healthcare Issue

The national healthcare issue chosen for this analysis pertains to staffing shortages and the utilization of overtime to mitigate workforce deficits. The persistent shortage of registered nurses and other healthcare professionals has led institutions to adopt strategies such as mandatory overtime and extended shifts, especially in high-demand settings like hospitals and emergency departments (Buchan et al., 2019). While these policies aim to meet immediate staffing needs and ensure patient safety, they introduce additional challenges related to staff fatigue, burnout, and increased error rates (Williamson et al., 2018).

Competing Needs Impacting the Healthcare Issue

The fundamental competing needs in this context include the organizational imperative to maintain staffing levels to ensure quality patient care, the workforce's need for manageable workloads and adequate rest, and patients' right to receive safe and effective care. Organizational demands for operational continuity often pressure leaders to enforce overtime, which can compromise staff well-being and patient safety (García et al., 2020). Conversely, prioritizing staff well-being by limiting overtime may lead to staffing shortages, potentially escalating delays and risks for patients.

Additionally, resource limitations constrain the availability of qualified personnel and budget allocations. For example, hiring additional staff requires financial resources that may not be available due to budget cuts or reallocations (Aiken et al., 2019). These financial constraints often compel organizations to rely on overtime, intensifying the conflict between resource management and workforce health.

Policy and Practice in Organizational Context

A relevant organizational policy impacting these issues is the staffing ratio regulation and the institution's overtime policy. Many hospitals implement mandated staffing ratios and policies governing maximum shift lengths; however, enforcement varies, and exceptions are often made during emergencies or staffing crises. For instance, some institutions permit extended shifts over 12 hours, citing operational necessity but risking increased fatigue and errors (Carayon et al., 2020).

From an ethical standpoint, such policies can be critiqued for potentially compromising patient safety and staff health. Ethical principles such as nonmaleficence (do no harm) and justice must guide policy development. The existing policy's strength lies in its attempt to address staffing shortages expediently; however, challenges include inadequate attention to long-term consequences like burnout and compromised care quality (ANA, 2015).

Recommendations for Policy Adjustment

To better balance competing needs, policies should be revised to limit the maximum shift length and promote staffing models that include flexible scheduling and adequate staffing ratios. For example, implementing evidence-based staffing frameworks such as the Nurse Staffing Minimum Ratios Law or leveraging technology for workforce planning can optimize resource allocation without over-reliance on overtime (Djukic et al., 2017). Furthermore, providing incentives for retention and hiring can alleviate workforce shortages, reducing dependence on overtime policies that risk ethical violations.

Moreover, establishing transparent ethical guidelines for overtime and staffing decisions ensures staff members' rights and patient safety are prioritized, aligning organizational goals with core nursing ethics (Kelly & Porr, 2018). Engaging staff in policy development fosters a culture of shared decision-making, improving compliance and morale.

Conclusion

Balancing the competing needs of resources, workforce, and patients requires nuanced policy development rooted in ethical principles and evidence-based practices. Organizational policies must evolve to address existing conflicts by emphasizing safety, fairness, and sustainability. Leadership plays a critical role in recognizing and mediating these competing needs to foster a healthcare environment that promotes optimal patient outcomes while safeguarding staff well-being.

References

• Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Ball, J., et al. (2019). Nurse staffing and patient outcomes in hospitals. JAMA Internal Medicine, 179(9), 1223–1231.
• American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Silver Spring, MD: Author. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/
• Buchan, J., Dolan, S., & McGillis Hall, L. (2019). The challenges of health workforce planning. In International Nursing Review, 66(2), 161–168.
• Carayon, P., Hundt, A. S., & Karsh, B.-T. (2020). Work systems for safety and healthcare quality. BMJ Quality & Safety, 29(4), 264–267.
• Djukic, M., Kovner, C., Brewer, C., et al. (2017). The effect of work environment on nurses’ intent to leave. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 47(10), 519–525.
• García, S., Vicente, A., & García, R. (2020). Fatigue, errors, and patient safety in nursing care. Research in Nursing & Health, 43(4), 382–391.
• Kelly, P., & Porr, C. (2018). Ethical nursing care versus cost containment: Considerations to enhance RN practice. OJIN: Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(1), Manuscript 6.
• Williamson, C. L., Adams, S. A., & Flynn, L. (2018). The impact of shift work on nurse fatigue and errors. American Journal of Nursing, 118(2), 56–63.