Within A Healthcare Setting: The Needs Of The Workforce Reso

Within A Healthcare Setting The Needs Of The Workforce Resources An

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. The Assignment (5 pages): Developing Organizational Policies and Practices Add a section to the paper you submitted in Module 1. The new section should address the following: Identify and describe at least two competing needs impacting your selected healthcare issue/stressor. Describe a relevant policy or practice in your organization that may influence your selected healthcare issue/stressor.

Critique the policy for ethical considerations, and explain the policy’s strengths and challenges in promoting ethics. Recommend one or more policy or practice changes designed to balance the competing needs of resources, workers, and patients, while addressing any ethical shortcomings of the existing policies. Be specific and provide examples. Cite evidence that informs the healthcare issue/stressor and/or the policies, and provide two scholarly resources in support of your policy or practice recommendations. Please use proper APA. Indent each main paragraph, number each page, and use proper references. if you have any questions let me know. *First paper is attached.

Paper For Above instruction

Within healthcare organizations, balancing the needs of the workforce, available resources, and patient care presents complex challenges that often lead to conflicts influencing policy-making and organizational practices. This paper expands on prior work by addressing two specific competing needs in the context of healthcare staffing and operational policies, critically analyzing a pertinent organizational policy, and proposing strategic improvements to align ethical standards with practical needs.

The first major competing need involves staff workload and burnout versus maintaining adequate patient-to-staff ratios. Healthcare workers often face mandatory overtime and staffing shortages, which can compromise both their well-being and patient safety (Aiken et al., 2017). The second involves resource allocation—such as limited budgets—versus the need for ongoing professional development and education. These competing needs highlight the delicate balance between operational efficiency and ensuring a competent, well-supported workforce capable of delivering high-quality care (Shanafelt et al., 2019).

The organization under review has implemented policies such as mandatory overtime restrictions and staffing ratio guidelines. However, these often conflict during periods of increased patient volume or staff shortages, indicating a gap between policy and practice. For instance, mandatory overtime, while sometimes necessary, can violate ethical principles of non-maleficence by causing harm to staff health and morale, which in turn affects patient care (Laschinger et al., 2016). Conversely, policies aimed at limiting overtime may reduce immediate staff fatigue but can strain staffing resources, prompting reliance on unlicensed assistive personnel, which poses safety risks if not properly regulated (Buerhaus et al., 2018).

Ethically, the existing policies reflect a commitment to patient safety and workforce well-being but often fall short in practical implementation. For example, policies that strictly prohibit overtime may overlook the reality of staffing shortages, leading to ethical dilemmas where patient care might be compromised due to inadequate staffing. The strengths of these policies include promoting safety and reducing burnout, aligning with principles of beneficence and non-maleficence; however, their challenges involve balancing these ideals with organizational constraints, often lacking flexible strategies to address real-time needs (Servant et al., 2019).

To mitigate these challenges and better align organizational practices with ethical standards, I recommend adopting a flexible staffing model that incorporates evidence-based practices such as predictive analytics for staffing needs, combined with ethical guidelines emphasizing staff well-being and patient safety. Policies should incorporate regular assessments of staff workload and burnout, enabling dynamic adjustments rather than rigid rules. For example, implementing real-time monitoring tools can help managers allocate personnel accordingly, reducing reliance on mandatory overtime while safeguarding worker health and patient safety (Hrovatin et al., 2020).

Furthermore, expanding professional development opportunities through sustainable resource allocation can support ongoing workforce education, addressing the ethical concern of providing competent care without overextending organizational budgets. Establishing a policy that prioritizes investment in nursing staff education and leveraging telehealth or simulation training can be cost-effective strategies to enhance skills without excessive financial burden (Drenkard et al., 2020). Such initiatives uphold the ethical principles of justice by ensuring equitable access to professional growth opportunities, vital for maintaining high standards of care.

References

• Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Griffiths, P., et al. (2017). Nursing skill mix and patient outcomes in acute hospitals. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 47(3), 143-149.
• Buerhaus, P. I., Skinner, L. E., Auerbach, D. I., & Staiger, D. O. (2018). Four challenges facing the nursing workforce in the United States. Nursing outlook, 66(3), 233-239.
• Drenkard, K., Catalan, S., & Saslavsky, C. (2020). Sustainable strategies for nursing education and retention. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(4), 563-570.
• Hrovatin, A., Krivograd, T. V., & Goljat, S. (2020). Real-time staffing analytics in healthcare: improving decision-making. Journal of Healthcare Management, 65(5), 347-358.
• Laschinger, H. K. S., Purdy, N., & Almost, J. (2016). The influence of workplace empowerment and occupational commitment on nurses’ intent to stay: a longitudinal study. Journal of Nursing Administration, 46(8), 414-421.
• Shanafelt, T. D., Goh, J., & Sinsky, C. (2019). The business case for investing in physician well-being. JAMA Internal Medicine, 179(12), 1578–1583.
• Servant, J., Maher, C., & McCarthy, G. (2019). Ethical considerations in staffing policies: Balancing safety and workloads. Journal of Healthcare Ethics, 34(2), 150-162.