BHA FPX 4104 Assessment 4 Human Resources: Strategy and Competitive Advantage

Student Name

Capella University

BHA-FPX4104 Strategic Leadership and Workforce Planning in Health Care

Prof. Name

Date

Human Resources: Strategy and Competitive Advantage

In this analysis, an examination of the existing workforce will be conducted in contrast to future needs, alongside an elucidation of the optimal staffing plan for the organization based on anticipated requirements. Additionally, measures for assessing and evaluating the success of an implemented staffing plan will be identified. Furthermore, the ramifications for an organization’s future if the workforce fails to adapt and meet the organization’s needs will be explored. Finally, an investigation into how human resources can function as a competitive advantage within an organization will be undertaken.

Part 1: Comparison of Current Workforce to Future Needs

Current Staffing Capacity 

The current staffing capacity at SAMC has been strained by its current staff and leadership. The recent train derailment has exacerbated staffing limitations, particularly evident in the scarcity of language interpreters in the emergency room department. The increasing number of Limited English proficiency (LEP) patients has compromised the hospital’s capacity to deliver optimal care to linguistically diverse patients. For example, without multilingual nurses, adequate care for the Hmong and Somali communities in the vicinity would be jeopardized. Insufficient nursing presence in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during evening and night shifts has also hindered patient care. SAMC operates on a precarious edge regarding nurse staffing and must devise strategies to tackle these operational challenges. Failure to address nursing shortages would lead to the loss of patient revenue to competing hospitals and an escalation in staff turnover.

Moreover, overburdening nurses with high patient ratios would result in prolonged wait times and reduced care quality, subsequently diminishing patient volumes and census in the hospital (Bridges et al., 2019). Research conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) indicates that hospitals with low nurse staffing levels tend to experience elevated rates of adverse patient outcomes such as pneumonia, cardiac arrest, and urinary tract infections (AHRQ, 2019). Consequently, disregarding staffing concerns could lead to job-related burnout among healthcare professionals, resulting in suboptimal medical care and decreased patient satisfaction (Heath, 2018).

Part 2: Staffing Plan and Competitive Advantage

Nursing Staffing as a Critical Factor 

Nursing staffing significantly impacts the quality of care in hospitals and patient outcomes. It is imperative to bolster staffing with a diverse workforce comprising nurses, physicians, and care team members. As Carlson (2016) suggests, the hospital workforce should mirror the diversity of the community it serves, with a commitment to cultivating cultural diversity endorsed by executive leadership (Heath, 2018). A diverse and adequately staffed unit would facilitate comprehensive patient care and alleviate the burden on nurses by distributing tasks evenly among team members.

Three Measures for Evaluating the Staffing Plan

Employee engagement is paramount for the successful implementation of staffing plans. Three measures to assess the effectiveness of the new staffing guidelines include weekly rounding in units and emergency rooms, conducting one-on-one or group discussions with frontline staff to solicit feedback, and establishing a monthly patient-to-provider metric ratio. This metric would identify departments with inadequate nursing coverage and the need for multilingual nurses to enhance patient care.

Implications of Unaddressed Issues 

The effective execution of organizational strategic plans hinges on employee engagement and cooperation. Without adequate staffing policies, strategic goals would be rendered ineffective. According to Lowe (2015), achieving a high level of employee engagement is crucial for realizing organizational goals and vision. Cohesion, transparency, and teamwork are essential to resolving employee grievances and realizing strategic objectives.

Human Resources as a Competitive Advantage 

Human resources play a pivotal role in recruiting, training, administering, and managing employees within an organization. In the healthcare sector, staying ahead of competitors necessitates leveraging human resources to attract talented individuals who embody the organization’s mission, vision, and values (O’Donnell, 2019). Human resources serve as gatekeepers, conducting thorough background checks to ensure alignment with organizational objectives (O’Donnell, 2019).

BHA FPX 4104 Assessment 4 Human Resources: Strategy and Competitive Advantage

Conclusion 

In conclusion, hospital staffing should not be viewed solely as an expense to be minimized. Overburdening nurses with excessive patient assignments increases the likelihood of medical errors and compromises patient safety. To mitigate these risks, hospitals must prioritize adequate staffing to alleviate burdens on staff and enhance patient satisfaction and care.

References

 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2019). Nursing and Patient Safety. Patient Safety Network. https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/nursing-and-patient-safety

Bridges, J., Griffiths, P., Oliver, E., & Pickering, R. M. (2019). Hospital Nurse Staffing and Staff Patient Interactions: An Observational Study. BMJ Quality & Safety. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008948

Carlson, K. (2016). Nurse-Patient Ratios and Safe Staffing: Ways Nurses Can Lead the Change. Journal of Nursing Teaching and Leadership. https://nurse.org/articles/nurse-patient-ratios-and-safe-staffing/

Heath, S. (2018). How Nurse Staffing Ratios Impact Patient Safety, Access to Care. Patient Engagement HIT. https://patientengagementhit.com/news/how-nurse-staffing-ratios-impact-patient-safety-access-to-care

Lowe, G. (2015). How Employee Engagement Matters for Hospital Performance. PubMed, 15(2), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.12927/hcq.2012.22915

BHA FPX 4104 Assessment 4 Human Resources: Strategy and Competitive Advantage

O’Donnell, R. (2019). The HR Challenges Shaping the Healthcare Industry. Workest. https://www.zenefits.com/workest/hr-challenges-in-healthcare-industry/