How to Solve the Problem of Nurses' Dissatisfaction with High Remuneration for Work - Essay Example

? Scenario Analysis Scenario Analysis Introduction In the present healthcare service industry, the working environment has become much complex and dynamic at the same time. In this respect, providing efficient care to patients depends on the role and contribution offered by the nursing unit manager to a large extent (American Association of Critical-Care Nurse, 2013). With such importance in their roles, workload on nursing managers has been observed to increase substantially. This paper emphasizes this particular issue witnessed in nursing practices, highlighting a scenario where managers decipher their professional dissatisfactions regarding increasing workload and irrelevancy or insufficiency of pay. Analyzing the scenario, this paper will further aim at recommending remedial strategies by implementing a decision-making tool suitable for resolving the issue. Critical Analysis of the Scenario The given particular scenario exemplifies a care unit comprising thirty-two bed facilities, which include around 15 registered nurses (RNs) and 22 licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Accordingly, the newly hired nursing unit manager is charged with the responsibility of staffing, caring and evaluating operations. It has been identified in this regard that the staff members are facing excessive workload pressure due to ineffective planning and management. There is also a mixture of part-time, full-time and casual staffing in the unit of the care facility, creating perplexities and hurdles in the proper execution of operations. The staff members of the care unit are observed to be unhappy due to workload pressure. Moreover, it is also recognized that the former RN, who was appointed before the newly hired nursing unit manager, resigned due to non-cooperation received from other staff members. An insight into the scenario depicts that these issues were the consequence of inadequate pay in accordance with the workload imposed upon the unit manager. Decision-making Tool As per the scenario, it has been recognized that there are various issues affecting the smooth operations and working environment of the care facility of the pediatric unit. In this respect, the newly hired nursing unit manager, on identifying these issues, should adopt a decision-making tool with the objective of devising appropriate plans and strategies so that activities of staff members and other operations are managed in an appropriate fashion. In the present scenario, advancement in the technological field and knowledge in nursing have raised complexities, on the basis of which nurses are required to be more competent and knowledgeable. The major activity of the nursing unit manager is to seek that staff members execute their operations according to the requirement of situations and in accordance with the goals of the care facility. The nursing unit manager is also entrusted with the job to ensure that proper medication and services are offered to patients (Cherie & Gebrekidan, 2005). In this context, with the assigned tasks and responsibilities along with numerous issues in the pediatric unit of the care facility, the nursing unit manager can be suggested the decision-making tool of decision ladder. The nursing unit manager, with the assistance of the decision-making tool, will be facilitated with the opportunity of recognizing issues, assessing possible solutions and identifying alternative ways on the basis of which these issues can be resolved. This decision-making tool postulates a systematic procedure to resolve a particular issue as that witnessed in the given scenario. The procedure can be identified as a multidirectional and multistep process, which includes situational analysis, developing alternatives, examining the selected alternatives and implementing appropriate plans as suited for the resolution of the issue identified. The decision-making tool will assist the newly hired nursing manager in recognizing problems in the operations of the unit, which include patient care and requirement, work intensity and payment structure, etc. (Cherie & Gebrekidan, 2005). The decision ladder, in this context, can be considered as an effective tool used for analyzing issues in the day-to-day operations of the unit. It is a process on the basis of which problems are identified and appropriate plans and solutions are devised with the objective of overcoming those identified issues (Effken, Verran, Logue, & Hsu, 2010). The process of decision ladders has been illustrated in the diagram below: The Decision Ladder Source: Effken et al., 2010 According to the decision ladder, the problem identification and formulation of strategies commence from the lower end of the left row, following which problems faced by the care facility are recognized. On the other hand, in the right row, suitable strategies are formulated on the basis of which the identified issues can be mitigated and resolved. Accordingly, the nursing unit manager, with the assistance of this tool, should be able to resolve identified problems in an efficient fashion (Effken et al., 2010). It is worth mentioning in this context that the nursing unit manager is entrusted with the responsibility of identifying issues and formulating appropriate plans and strategies with the aim of accomplishing the desired organizational objectives. In this regard, the decision ladder can be identified as the appropriate decision-making tool that should be adopted by the nursing unit manager in order to mitigate the recognized issues that predominantly include work overload, reluctant subordinates and non-supportive staff members, mainly influenced by inadequacy of the payment structure. Subsequently, with the assistance of these tools, the nursing unit manager will be capable of identifying possible solutions in an appropriate manner, which can further assist in the development of effective strategies with the intention of overcoming these issues (Effken et al., 2010). Recommendations There are various issues identifiable from the case scenario, which include ineffective planning and inefficient management of staff that further inhibit an effective and successful completion of the healthcare activities in the unit. Additionally, it has been recognized that the staff members of the care facility are unhappy with work pressure and payment structure. In this respect, the decision ladder will assist the nursing unit manager in obtaining an in-depth knowledge about the raised issues. Accordingly, the nursing unit manager should formulate effective plans and strategies in order to overcome the identified issues. In this respect, certain recommendations can be formulated as follows: Planning and Coordination The nursing unit manager should formulate plans and strategies in relation to operations and activities of staff members so that their tasks are coordinated in an efficient way. Moreover, with effective planning and coordination of activities, the nursing unit manager is likely to gain a better control in managing the activities of staff members efficiently. Thus, better coordination of activities will aid in minimizing workload pressure amid staff members (Heather, 2002). Team Work The nursing unit manager can focus on team works and thereby develop groups so that each group can execute their operations in a systematic, more responsible and interdependent manner to suffice the determined objectives, making effective use of the resources. In this respect, division of work of each group will facilitate the staff members in executing their individual and group activities in a hazard-free manner and subsidize workload pressure to a large extent. Motivation and Support The nursing unit manager, by providing adequate support to staff members, will be able to develop a better working environment in the care facility. Subsequently, the nursing unit manager will be able to obtain assistance from other staff members in order to implement the devised plans and strategies effectively to resolve the issue (Heather, 2002). Conducting Enquiry and Review of Operation The nursing unit manager should also adopt necessary steps and measures of reviewing and enquiring the operations of staff members in order to ensure that they are able to execute their activities in accordance with the objectives of the care facility unit. The review process will further aid the nursing unit manager in obtaining adequate knowledge and information about the work progress they have attained. Additionally, reviewing the process will facilitate the nursing unit manager in identifying needs and requirements of staff members with an equal importance to that of the patients (NSW Government, 2010). Evidence-based Practice (EBP) The nursing unit manager can likewise adopt EBP with the objective of seeking current practices in nursing and care, which are to be offered to patients and resolve the problem of efficient care witnessed in the unit. EBP will assist the care unit in providing quality care and treatment facilities to patients. Respectively, the care facility will be facilitated with the opportunity of offering services and treatment in accordance with the requirements of patients (Beyea & Slattery, 2006). Payment Based on Performance The nursing unit manager should adopt plans of paying staff members on the basis of their performance, preserving transparency in the performance appraisal system. With the assistance of this plan, staff members will be paid on the basis of their designation and performance, which will be appropriate to suffice their growing workload. This plan will also motivate staff members to execute their activities efficiently for gaining monetary hikes and satisfaction (Li, An, & Yin, 2013). Conclusion It has been identified from the case scenario that there are numerous issues which are seemed to be hampering the operations and motivation of employees. It is recognized that the major issues identified in this context are workload pressure, lack of effective planning and inadequacy of the payment structure. In this respect, the nursing unit manager is required to play an effective role in formulating appropriate plans and strategies in order to overcome the identified issues, coordinating activities of staff members and offering adequate care to patients. The nursing unit manager, with the assistance of the decision ladder, will also be facilitated with the opportunity of identifying issues appropriately and formulating plans accordingly with the aim of mitigating those issues for better performance of staff members. Respectively, the mitigation of these issues will enable the care unit manager to offer quality care and treatment services to patients. References American Association of Critical-Care Nurse. (2013). Nursing manager skills inventory. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.org/wd/practice/docs/nurse-manager-inventory-tool.pdf. Beyea, S. C., & Slattery, M. J. (2006). Evidence-based practice in nursing. Retrieved from http://www.hcmarketplace.com/supplemental/3737_browse.pdf. Cherie, A., & Gebrekidan, A. B. (2005). Nursing leadership and management. Retrieved from http://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/health/ephti/library/lecture_notes/nursing_students/LN_nsg_ldrshp_final.pdf. Effken, J. A., Verran, J. A., Logue, M. D., & Hsu, Y. (2010). Nurse managers’ decisions. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 40(4), 188–195. Heather, M. (2002). The nurse unit manager role: An aged care perspective. Retrieved from http://mams.rmit.edu.au/gcmavubs6mz2z.pdf. Li, H., An, L., & Yin, X. (2013). Exploration of payment based on performance management in clinical practice in nursing unit. Life Science Journal, 10(3), 54–57. NSW Government. (2010). A conceptual framework: The nursing/midwifery unit manager role. Retrieved from http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/resources/nursing/projects/pdf/updated_conceptual_framework.pdf Read More