Capella 4010 Assessment 1 : Collaboration and Leadership Reflection

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Capella University

Capella 4010 Assessment 1

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Collaboration and Leadership Reflection 

Collaboration and leadership are crucial for maintaining successful and efficient service delivery. In order to manage resources and deliver the best possible patient care, healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and allied health workers, must work in complex and dynamic contexts. Collaboration that works promotes teamwork, enhances communication, and lowers medical errors. Leadership gives the team direction, inspiration, and leadership to ensure that everyone is working towards accomplishing shared objectives. Effective leadership and teamwork in healthcare can ultimately lead to better patient outcomes, greater satisfaction, and lower healthcare expenditures.

Background and Scenario 

On a challenging evening, I am employed as a registered nurse in the emergency room (ER) with my coworkers. Four emergency physicians, two radiology professionals, and 7 nurses—including one who led the team—made up our team. Traumatic events,  pediatrics, recovery, and the intermediate ward were the sections of the ER. Our executive nursing staff assigned each nurse to a certain department, and each patient’s care was managed by a particular nurse who specialized in traumatic events, in non-trauma, or pediatric care. Patients were treated in accordance with the attending physicians’ directives, which may have included diagnostic procedures like radiology or blood work.

We ran into personnel concerns during one of the night hours. A registered nurse called in sick, and a second one had to go home due to a family emergency. the rest of us, notably the nurse who was in charge, were the only ones left to work. The fact that it was a holiday and there were far more patients compared to usual at the ER made matters harder. The in-charge nurse stepped in to help because some of the patients in the recovery section had severe problems requiring further care. The team’s coordination and communication were completely ruined by the heavy workload and staff shortfall.

Reflection On An Interdisciplinary Collaboration Experience

As a nurse who works in an ER, I am aware of the crucial role of interdisciplinary teamwork in providing our patients with excellent healthcare services. In this case, my colleagues and I were in charge of various areas of ER. Based on their areas of expertise, each nurse was assigned to a particular section, and we collaborated with the doctors and radiologists to give the patients the most effective treatment available.

The staffing issue was on this specific shift since one of the registered nurses called in sick and another nurse had to leave due to an emergency. As a result, only five of us, including the charge nurse, had to take care of work in the ER. Despite this obstacle, we persisted in cooperating to give our patients the care they required. In order to make certain that patients were given the right treatment and got the right care, we efficiently coordinated. In order to handle the staffing gap and guarantee that patients received prompt care, we also worked together with the charge nurse. However, there were some issues in the ER as a result of the staffing shortage.

We had to put in more time and effort to maintain the substantial demand for care because there needed to be more healthcare professionals available. The team was exhausted and under stress as a result, which might have had an impact on the standard of care we offer. Additionally, there was a higher chance of mistakes and treatment inefficiencies with fewer caregivers. 

Nursing Practices to Improve Outcomes 

Collaboration and leadership coordination are crucial components in managing nursing shortages and overburden in healthcare settings. When there is a shortage of nurses or when nurses are overburdened, teamwork and effective leadership become more important in ensuring that patients receive high-quality care. In situations where workload is high, collaboration among nurses can help to distribute tasks and ensure that all patients are attended to efficiently (Chegini et al., 2020). Effective leadership coordination can also help to facilitate communication, streamline processes, and ensure that all nurses are working towards the same goals.

In addition, collaboration and leadership coordination can also foster a positive work environment, which can be beneficial in mitigating the effects of stress and burnout among nurses. Research has shown that collaborative and coordinated leadership can result in better job satisfaction, improved patient outcomes, and higher levels of nurse retention (Karlsson et al., 2019). Therefore, healthcare organizations should prioritize collaboration and leadership coordination in their efforts to manage nursing shortages and overburden.

The following practices can be followed to achieve better outcomes without compromising on delivering quality care. 

Capella 4010 Assessment 1

• Implement a triage system that prioritizes patients based on the severity of their condition.
• Train select nurses or other staff members to perform advanced triage duties, such as ordering diagnostic tests and prescribing medications.
• Hold regular meetings before shifts or at the beginning of the day to review patient volumes, staffing levels, and any other pertinent information that could help identify and overcome bottlenecks. 
• Utilizing technology, such as electronic health records and automated medication dispensing systems, can reduce the workload for nurses and improve patient safety by reducing the risk of medication errors.
• Leaders in the ER should promote a culture of collaboration among staff members. This can be achieved by fostering a sense of shared responsibility and encouraging open communication between nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. This culture of collaboration can help to ensure that staffing shortfalls are addressed quickly and effectively and that patients receive the care they need in a timely manner.
• Staffing strategies should be reevaluated. Regularly assess staffing levels and adjust as needed to meet patient demand. Cross-train staff members to perform multiple duties and fill in as needed during periods of high patient volume. Consider implementing flexible scheduling options, such as part-time or per diem staff, to ensure coverage during peak times.

The Effect Of  Poor Collaboration In Inefficient Management Of Human And Financial Resources

Ineffective management of both financial and human resources, especially in the Emergency rooms (ER) of hospitals, can result from poor collaboration among healthcare professionals. Poor collaboration can lead to a breakdown in coordination and clear communication. Due to the potential for duplication of work, misconceptions, and poor communication, human resources may end up being used inefficiently.

For instance, if nurses and doctors don’t work well together in the emergency room, doctors may not be aware of the patient’s present condition or prescriptions, which could result in repeated testing or unneeded treatments and waste both nurses’ and doctors’ time and expertise. According to a study by Yehya et al (2020), ineffective communication, a lack of reliability, and role ambiguity were some of the obstacles to cooperation among healthcare workers. These obstacles may result in redundant efforts, patient care complications, and higher expenses.

Poor communication between nursing staff and healthcare experts in the ER might result in suboptimal patient outcomes. A study discovered that poor coordination and breakdowns in interaction among ER nurses and doctors led to higher wait times for patients and longer ER stays (Youn et al., 2022). This may result in lower patient satisfaction, more expenses, and lower staff morale. It can also lead to staffing costs. If there is a poor collaboration among nursing staff, some may be overworked, while others are underutilized, resulting in increased staffing costs overtime, hiring of temporary staff, or even increased staff turnover, not only affecting the work environment but also having a negative impact on the quality of patient care.

Best-Practice Leadership Strategies

The leader plays an important role in any institute or organization. Adapting effective leadership strategies in a hospital can help interdisciplinary teams improve their performance, achieve their goals, and deliver high-quality care to patients. Adhering to the following best practices can create a positive work environment that promotes collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

1. Shared Leadership: As explained by Newman and Ford (2021), is a method in which team members share responsibility for leading. This strategy encourages a sense of team ownership, which can increase team members’ involvement and drive to accomplish their objectives. Team members can contribute their distinctive talents and viewpoints to the discussion by sharing leadership responsibilities, which can improve the performance of the group as a whole.
2. Setting goals: Setting goals is essential to any team’s success. According to Moghadam et al (2019), establishing precise goals helps improve team members’ dedication, determination, and motivation. To establish attainable objectives, clearly explain expectations, and periodically assess progress, leaders should collaborate with team members (Moghadam et al., 2019)..
3. Resolution of disputes: Any interdisciplinary team will inevitably encounter disagreements and conflicts. Effective conflict resolution techniques, on the other hand, can aid in preventing conflicts from escalating and interfering with the team’s performance. Lipworth et al (2021), suggested that team leaders should promote open communication, actively listen, and assist team members in finding points of agreement.
4. Continuous Learning: Interdisciplinary teams should constantly learn new things and adjust to changing conditions. Leaders should establish a learning atmosphere that promotes experimentation, introspection, and continual development. This strategy can assist the team in proactively identifying and resolving problems, enhancing performance, and more successfully achieving its objectives (Lipworth et al., 2021).

Identifies Best-Practice Interdisciplinary Collaboration Strategies

Best-practice interdisciplinary collaboration strategies are crucial in healthcare, particularly in hospitals and emergency departments (ER), because they can lead to improved patient outcomes, increased efficiency, and reduced costs. In the ER, interdisciplinary collaboration is especially important because patients often present with complex and urgent medical needs. Different healthcare professionals need to work together quickly and efficiently to provide timely and effective treatment. Following best practices to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration can help overcoming various medical issues and will aid in providing quality care.

1. Weekly Meetings and Conferences: Regular team meetings give colleagues a venue to talk about patient care and exchange details, which is essential for efficient teamwork. Every member of the team, including nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals, should be present at these discussions, which can take many different forms, such as daily huddles or weekly rounds. According to the research, regular meetings can strengthen teamwork, facilitate problem-solving, and improve communication—all of which are essential for accomplishing team goals (Moirano et al., 2020).. 
2. Assigning responsibilities: Giving each member of the healthcare team a specific position can help in managing the team’s work more effectively. By establishing clear expectations for their efforts, colleagues can be prevented from unintentionally taking on each other’s duties (Levesque et al., 2022).
3. Setting up specific targets and objectives: For productive interdisciplinary collaboration, the team’s objectives and goals must be defined in detail. This makes it easier to make certain that all parties are striving for the same goal (Anderson-Cook et al., 2019).
4. Effective communication:  Interdisciplinary collaboration requires effective communication, which is a key component. Teams should refrain from using medical jargon and speak clearly and concisely. Teams should also communicate through a number of means, such as in-person meetings, emails, phone conversations, and electronic health records. (EHRs) (Bok et al., 2020).
5. Shared decision-making: Interdisciplinary teams should use a shared decision-making strategy in which everyone has a say and choices are decided together (Anderson-Cook et al., 2019).

References 

Anderson-Cook, C. M., Lu, L., & Parker, P. A. (2019). Effective interdisciplinary collaboration between statisticians and other subject matter experts. Quality Engineering, 31(1), 164-176. https://doi.org/10.1080/08982112.2018.1530357 

Bok, C., Ng, C. H., Koh, J. W. H., Ong, Z. H., Ghazali, H. Z. B., Tan, L. H. E., … & Krishna, L. K. R. (2020). Interprofessional communication (IPC) for medical students: a scoping review. BMC medical education, 20(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.2.20046/v1 

Chegini, Z., Jafari‐Koshki, T., Kheiri, M., Behforoz, A., Aliyari, S., Mitra, U., & Islam, S. M. S. (2020). Missed nursing care and related factors in Iranian hospitals: A cross‐sectional survey. Journal of nursing management, 28(8), 2205-2215. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13055 

Karlsson, A. C., Gunningberg, L., Bäckström, J., & Pöder, U. (2019). Registered nurses’ perspectives of work satisfaction, patient safety and intention to stay–A double‐edged sword. Journal of nursing management, 27(7), 1359-1365. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12816 

Levesque, M. J., Etherington, C., Lalonde, M., & Stacey, D. (2022). Interprofessional collaboration in the OR: A qualitative study of nurses’ perspectives. AORN journal, 116(4), 300-311. https://doi.org/10.1002/aorn.13784 

Lipworth, A. D., Collins, E. J., Keitz, S. A., Hesketh, P. J., Resnic, F. S., Wozniak, J. M., & Mosenthal, A. C. (2021).

Capella 4010 Assessment 1

Development of a novel communication liaison program to support COVID-19 patients and their families. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 61(1), e1-e10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.11.016 

Moirano, R., Sánchez, M. A., & Štěpánek, L. (2020). Creative interdisciplinary collaboration: A systematic literature review. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 35, 100626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.100626 

Newman, S. A., & Ford, R. C. (2021). Five steps to leading your team in the virtual COVID-19 workplace. Organizational Dynamics, 50(1), 100802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2020.100802 

Yehya, A., Sankaranarayanan, A., Alkhal, A., Al Naemi, H., Almeer, N., Khan, A., & Ghuloum, S. (2020). Job satisfaction and stress among healthcare workers in public hospitals in Qatar. Archives of environmental & occupational health, 75(1), 10-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/19338244.2018.1531817 

Youn, S., Geismar, H. N., & Pinedo, M. (2022). Planning and scheduling in healthcare for better care coordination: Current understanding, trending topics, and future opportunities. Production and Operations Management, 31(12), 4407-4423.  https://doi.org/10.1111/poms.13867