Institutional Affiliation
Epidemiology of Infectious and Chronic Diseases
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on preventing chronic diseases and promoting health because these diseases cause a massive burden in most parts of the world. Hypertension, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and cancer are some of the top killer diseases with long-term treatment and significant healthcare costs (Benavidez, 2024). In contrast, advances in vaccines, sanitation, and public health interventions have reduced the prevalence and impact of many infectious diseases. However, this shift has not eliminated the need for communicable disease prevention.
Although the move towards chronic disease prevention is essential, it may lead to a situation that is more susceptible to acute communicable diseases and bioterrorism. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that communicable diseases are still dangerous, particularly in cases of unsuccessful healthcare system preparedness (Lee et al., 2023). Surveillance and prompt emergency response capacity are required for other emerging infectious agents or biological attacks. Balancing resources between chronic and communicable disease prevention is crucial in preparing for various threats to public health.
Infectious diseases often involve modifiable risk factors like hygiene, vaccination, and quarantine measures, while chronic diseases are more frequently associated with lifestyle choices, genetics, and long-term environmental exposure. Ellwanger et al. (2021) note that the best strategies for controlling the prevalence of infectious diseases include immunization, personal cleanliness, and isolation. On the other hand, chronic disease prevention aims to alter behavior and have routine check-ups, in addition to controlling other aspects like diets, exercise, and cigarette smoking.
Using a passive surveillance system in chronic disease is essential as it assists in determining the trends in incidence and prevalence over time and new health threats that require policy intervention. For instance, tracking the upward surge in obesity will assist healthcare givers and policymakers in beginning to develop and create necessary programs that encourage healthy living (Carney, 2023). An example of a chronic disease surveillance system is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) of the United States. This system tracks information about selected health risk factors, prevalent health conditions, and preventive services among populations (CDC, 2019). BRFSS offers necessary data that support the programs and funding for chronic illness prevention in areas of public health. It would be beneficial to encourage reporting of certain chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
References
Benavidez, G. A. (2024). Chronic Disease Prevalence in the US: Sociodemographic and Geographic Variations by Zip Code Tabulation Area. Preventing Chronic Disease, 21(21). https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd21.230267
Carney, T. J. (2023). Advancing Chronic Disease Practice through the CDC Data Modernization Initiative. Preventing Chronic Disease, 20. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd20.230120
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). CDC – BRFSS. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.html
Ellwanger, J. H., Veiga, A. B. G. da, Kaminski, V. de L., Valverde-Villegas, J. M., Freitas, A. W. Q. de, & Chies, J. A. B. (2021). Control and prevention of infectious diseases from a One Health perspective. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 44(1 suppl 1). https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2020-0256
Lee, J. M., Jansen, R., Sanderson, K. E., Guerra, F., Keller-Olaman, S., Murti, M., O’Sullivan, T. L., Law, M. P., Schwartz, B., Bourns, L. E., & Khan, Y. (2023). Public health emergency preparedness for infectious disease emergencies: a scoping review of recent evidence. BMC Public Health, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15313-7
Clinical Staffing
The following procedure establishes the nursing hour per patient day (NHPPD).
NHPPD= (total nurses x hours per shift)/ total number of patients
NHPPD= (8 x 8) /48
NHPPD=1.33
Therefore, each patient receives approximately 1.33 hours of nursing care per day during the 3-11 shift.
With a 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratio, each nurse cares for four patients, aiming to balance quality care with manageable workloads. This ratio could improve client care by enabling nurses to provide time for conducting necessary and thorough initial and follow-up assessments and meeting patients’ needs, thereby increasing safety and satisfaction levels (Patel & Metersky, 2021). However, if the number of patients’ complexity changes, or there are new or added administrative roles, this staffing level may lead to burnout, which in turn may affect morale, job satisfaction, and retention of the staff nurses (Kelly et al., 2021). Maintaining an optimal ratio of staff, in particular, can, therefore, directly impact the quality of care the patients receive and the general welfare of the nurses on the floor.
There is a need to communicate changes in staffing to ensure the rest of the team is informed and does not feel betrayed. Factors likely to affect it may include workload perception, staff’s preparedness to adapt to the new structure, and feedback mechanisms (Sharkiya, 2023). Lack of proper comprehension of these matters may result in staff resistance or dissatisfaction. Strategies such as daily or weekly meetings, team feedback sessions, and equal discussion of problems can reduce the chance of intergroup conflicts and allow all team members to feel valued.
This reflection relates to the South University’s College of Nursing pillar of Communication. The lack of a clear, integrated communication strategy significantly affects the overall organization and effectiveness of staffing decisions. By creating and sustaining due communication regarding change, the supervising managers can reduce employee anxiety, collectively foster problem-solving efforts, and enhance mutual respect (Ifrim et al., 2022). This strategy involves ensuring that the staff are informed and involved in any decisions affecting them regarding the work environment or patient care.
References
Ifrim, R. A., Klugarová, J., Măguriță, D., Zazu, M., Mazilu, D. C., & Klugar, M. (2022). Communication, an important link between healthcare providers: a best practice implementation project. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 20(S1), S41–S48. https://doi.org/10.1097/xeb.0000000000000319
Kelly, L. A., Gee, P. M., & Butler, R. J. (2021). Impact of Nurse Burnout on Organizational and Position Turnover. Nursing Outlook, 69(1), 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.06.008
Patel, K. M. & Metersky, K. (2021). Reflective practice in nursing: A concept analysis. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 33(3), 180-187. https://doi.org/10.1111/2047-3095.12350
Sharkiya, S. H. (2023). Quality Communication Can Improve patient-centered Health Outcomes among Older patients: a Rapid Review. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 1–14. BMC. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09869-8
Leadership in Nursing
Having a scheduling team within a nursing unit is fundamental to having good coordination among the nursing staff, job satisfaction, and, consequently, patient care outcomes. This process ensures that resources are adequately utilized to avoid mismatches from shortages or surplus staffing. This paper presents an action plan for developing a quality improvement team regarding scheduling tasks and optimizing the team’s work. By incorporating strategic management, human capital can plan and implement ways to achieve organizational efficiency and positive organizational culture.
Developing the Quality Improvement Team
Creating a quality improvement initiative requires experienced and competent diverse staff to set clear goals. The team should be composed of people with varied experiences in the healthcare system, especially nurses, administrators from different shifts, and patients (Samardzic et al., 2020). Recruiting members also means that the members must be able to demonstrate flexibility, good communication, and problem-solving skills. This is beneficial because it creates a comprehensive scheduling approach because a balanced and diverse team has brought it in. Consistent reporting sessions will be necessary to track their performance and effectively solve any issues that may arise.
Strengths and Skills Gaps Analysis
My Jung Typology Test results state that I am an ENFP, which means that my strengths and areas of weakness are the following. ENFPs are extroverted, creative, empathic, great at communication, and proficient in teamwork (ENFP, 2024). However, a potential weakness that might exist is the inability to handle complex or repetitive tasks without effort and easily getting distracted, especially with detail-oriented tasks (ENFP, 2024). My excellent interpersonal skills ensure I can engage the team, create morale, and motivate them. By identifying these traits, I can build on those areas in which I excel while searching for ways to compensate for my weaknesses, for example, structuring tasks and planning for the long term.
Leadership Theory Reflection
The Transformational Leadership Theory is most suitable to my ENFP personality because I feel most effective when encouraging others. Transforming leaders nurture a culture that fosters recognition while encouraging new ideas from the team members. It fosters trust, open communication, and purpose, which I enjoy when collaborating in dynamic environments and with people (Samardzic et al., 2020). By nature, I am perfectly positioned in a team as an ENFP, as I can motivate people and inspire them to listen to the mission, evolve, and be open-minded. This enhances the team’s performance and empowers every individual, thus promoting achieving the given objectives.
Team Member Selection Criteria
Hiring the right people for the concerned task requires calling for people with specific traits such as communication skills and punctuality, among other qualities. The members should have experience in nursing and administrative duties to give a holistic view of the scheduling process. Inviting proactive people with problem-solving orientations and those who may someday become leaders is also helpful to navigate the discussion and prevent conflicts. Having a team of schedulers from different skill levels and shift types will guarantee that more than one solution is generated for the scheduling problem. This balanced pool of staff will be able to handle the issues of nursing unit schedules and other quality improvement processes.
Stages of Team Development
These stages include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. During the forming stage, the members will be able to lay down their schedules and try to grasp the tasks to be accomplished, as well as the next team member (Levi & Askay, 2020). Some conflicts may emerge in the storming stage since participants may disagree openly, but the focus remains on positive communication (Levi & Askay, 2020). Norming will come next as people will trust each other and create norms for the team. In the Performing stage, the team members will effectively work to complete goals before the last stage, called Adjourning, where the members conclude activities accomplished.
Planning the First Meeting
The first meeting will be structured using an agenda to determine aims and objectives. The initial form of intervention will be an organizational ice-breaking whereby the facilitators will introduce team members to each other with a view to establishing a mutual working relationship. In this paper, I will first identify the goals of the project and then explain the need for collaborative contribution and active communication. Preliminary assignments will be made based on the abilities of the members, and raw methods of scheduling will be early evaluated. The meeting will be closed by the feedback and further actions based on a discussion of responsibilities for future tasks.
Conclusion
Formation of a quality improvement Scheduling Team entails a careful choice of members within the nursing unit, application of transformational leadership, and maintenance of organizational culture. Hence, I can understand what has been done well and what skills are needed upon identifying and analyzing my strengths as an ENFP so that the team can be led through the following structured stages and achieve positive results. This initiative supports team cohesiveness, decreases scheduling complications, and improves the work environment and patient care.
References
ENFP (2024). Leverage Your Personality Type. https://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/enfp-type?d=BViKEX2DLRoVkOpfuHm_0jinl-pADyk5qytaOQ1-0U0wuDO93JIvNtlkhqvkjG0FFAPUCYqrFEDnqH2vU2JGssezfdCpDG6hGviDbd89XtY1
Levi, D., & Askay, D. A. (2020). Group dynamics for teams. SAGE publications.
Samardzic, M., Doekhie, K. D., & Wijngaarden, J. D. H. (2020). Interventions to improve team effectiveness within health care: A systematic review of the past decade. Human Resources for Health, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0411-3
Schiuma, G., Schettini, E., Santarsiero, F., & Carlucci, D. (2021). The transformative leadership compass: six competencies for digital transformation entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 28(5), 1273–1291.https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2021-0087
Reflective Journal
Reflection on Effective Delegation
Effective delegation is an indispensable skill in nursing, more so in demanding environments. As a registered nurse (RN), I have realized that delegation transcends assigning tasks because it entails exhibiting a profound understanding of communication, teamwork, and trust. I recall a situation in the emergency department when the number of patients was too high for us to handle. I could feel the stress levels rising, which meant that we had to work together seamlessly to meet patient needs. A brief meeting with staff was sufficient to enable us find a solution to this problem because we identified who was most suited to handle specific tasks based on their expertise and scope of practice. Clear and open communication was a vital pillar that made every team member feel valued. Besides, caring as a pillar was crucial because it enabled each team member to acknowledge the others’ stress, which supported implementation of the delegation method. Ultimately, we fostered a favorable environment, which allowed us to navigate challenges and provide timely, quality care.
Reflection on a Healthy Work Environment
A healthy work environment is vital for healthcare professionals and patients because it directly impacts outcomes. My organization is committed to nurturing a healthy work environment by implementing a wellness program for all employees. This program facilitates employees to access mental health services and learn about effective stress-coping mechanisms. The organization takes a proactive approach to reduce burnout while promoting the well-being of all members. On the same note, the organization espouses an open communication policy that encourages employees’ participation in regular meetings and feedback sessions. This policy promotes dialogue in the workplace and creates a forum to discuss successes and challenges. My organization’s approach aligns with the communication pillar, where team members feel free to express their views and opinions without fearing reprisals. Communication is the cornerstone of collaborative care, as it enables professionals from different backgrounds to work together to improve quality of care and meet patient needs.
