Discuss the future of public health and how your selected issue will affect the people of the United States.

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As discussed throughout this course, there are many factors that contribute to the success of an effective public health response. A prompt response, accurate documentation of the event, and communication with both personnel and the public are intertwined. Once the event has passed the critical stage and disaster recovery begins, a thorough evaluation needs to be completed to reflect on what went well and what did not. These evaluations will provide crucial information to public health professionals to improve performance for the next disaster.

You have learned more about public health issues, environmental factors, behavioral health and wellness, immunization, and social determinants of health. In this assignment, you will research and develop a PowerPoint presentation to address the future of public health and the implications of public health issues for future generations.

Select a current public health issue. You can select an issue addressed in this course or one of your choice (e.g., chronic diseases, immunization, obesity, heart disease, and/or an environmental issue). Identify at least five scholarly resources (peer-reviewed references) to support your assertions. Analyze the current status of your selected issue to determine how this issue will impact the future of public health including the implications for future generations and public health involvement.

Include the following in your presentation:

  • Describe the problem and how the issue has been addressed. List the advantages and disadvantages of the method(s) used to address it. Explore how you might handle these components and include three reasonable approaches to address the issue.
  • Discuss the future of public health and how your selected issue will affect the people of the United States.
  • Describe how this situation might be handled in a different manner. Recommend ways by which public health involvement can improve handling of the issue in future occurrences and identify some examples to change the status quo.
  • Support your statements using scholarly literature and evidence-based information from at least five authoritative resources.
  • Be sure to state major points clearly and support with specific details, examples, or analysis.

Analyze how political arenas (government, workplace, professional organizations, and community) shape health care delivery.

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Organizational Structure, Strategic Planning

Care Delivery Models, Safety Culture

Learning Objectives

Module I concentrates on the following course outcomes—

· Analyze how political arenas (government, workplace, professional organizations, and community) shape health care delivery.

o The concept of the organization is introduced to provide context to the planning component of nursing management. Mission, philosophy, vision and values are discussed as impacting the nurse’s practice. Planning patient care in specific team configurations is also discussed.

Federal and consumer directives have forced healthcare organizations to examine current practice models and both organizational structures and processes that account for increasing efforts to develop models and systems that contribute to patient safety. Patient safety is at the forefront of issues for organizations and efforts have begun to identify safety culture dimensions.

The importance of communication within the organization and specifically within structured work teams is discussed. Typical patterns of communication are identified.

Reading Assignment

Sullivan: Chapters 1, 2, 3

Supplemental Readings (See Resources Section)

Beyea, S. C. (2005). High reliability theory and high reliable organizations. AORN Journal. 81(6), 1319-1322.

Cooke, H. (2009). Theories of risk and safety: what is their relevance to nursing? Journal of Nursing Management. 17:256-264.

Air Safety Support International. (2006) Safety Culture. Available at: http://www.airsafety.aero/safety_development/sms/safety_culture/ (Links to an external site.)Accessed July 25, 2012

Overview

Understanding the organizational context of professional nursing practice is an important part of leadership and management. The nurse will participate in determining the most effective strategic plan for implementing care at the bedside or for an entire patient population of a facility. Other contextual factors include the mission, vision and philosophy and organizational culture of the organization. It is important for the nurse to know the mission and vision of the organization and have a philosophy that is consistent with that of the organization in order to support its efforts. Organizational structure relates to how work is organized and and provides for how work is communicated. Classic organizational structures include centralized, decentralized, matrix and combinations of these types. Centralized organizations (tall, with many layers) tend to have decision making at the “top.” While, decentralized organizations (flat) have decision making closer to the level of care. The military is an example of a centralized organization. Modern healthcare have moved toward a more type flat type of structure with decentralization and shared decision making. A concept appropriate to professional personnel. The organizational chart defines chain of command, line versus staff positions, and span of control. These are key concepts to know for this course. System’s Theory, Humanistic Theory, Chaos Theory, Contingency Theory and Complexity Theory are theoretical frameworks used to guide the processes within an organization. Cultural Diversity within organizations relates to both care provider and recipient. The changing demographics require non-biased understanding and appreciation of the difference of others.

Safety Culture has become a major issue for organizations since the IOM report in 1999 citing thousands of hospital errors and patient deaths and establishing a culture of safety has become a healthcare priority. Safety culture has its origin in high risk organizations such. Health care organizations are considered high risk organizations similar to aviation, nuclear plants and chemical process industry. Organizations that perform successfully under exigent conditions are termed high reliable organizations (HRO). Characteristics of high reliable organizations include for example: 1) preoccupation with failure, 2) reluctance to accept simplification and 3) deferring to expertise. Preoccupation with failure is an effort to avoid drifting into failure and becoming complacent. Safety culture is a central foundation of HROs and is measured with a variety of tools to assess communication, teamwork, frequency of error reporting. Expectations of manager behaviors to promote safety and more. The Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) published the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) in 2004 and to date hundreds of hospitals with thousands of healthcare employees have reported perceptions of hospital safety culture with de-identified data reported in aggregate. See information about safety and the HSOPSC at http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/advances2/vol2/Advances-Jones_29.pdf (Links to an external site.). Safety and safety culture information will be discussed again in Module V along with Quality improvement and literature related to healthcare errors.

“Nursing work” is organized according to different models for care delivery. Functional, Team Leading, Differentiated Practice, Primary Nursing and Care Management Method are common delivery models. Differentiated practice is a model more commonly seen within Magnet hospitals systems and includes provision for the different levels of educational preparation and skill of the Registered Nurses with different job descriptions for each. The type of delivery system depends on a number of factors, including availability of staff, staff mix, type of patients and organizational philosophy. The ultimate goal is a safe environment with quality and financially sound outcomes.

Strategic planning is vital to any organization and is carried out in a systematic process. It includes identifying the organization’s strengths and weaknesses through assessment of the internal and external environment. The process screens for influencing markets, competition, technology, healthcare trends, financial resources and information systems to name a few.

Assignment questions: Post answers in Forums Module I. See calendar for due date.

1. Discuss one of the organizational theories from the readings and how you see this theory used or could be used in an organization. What are the merits of the theory?

2. Discuss what is meant by the terms, organizational span of control and chain of command.

3. Describe three types of organizational structures and some characteristics. Which type of organizational structure have you seen used in an organization and what are its advantages and limitations.

4. Which type of organizational structures do we see most frequently in acute care hospitals?

5. Cite common factors used for strategic planning and how nurses are involved in the process.

   Analyze the components of the nursing management process within a clinical context.

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Module II concentrates on the following course outcomes—

1.    Analyze the components of the nursing management process within a clinical context.

The management process of planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and staffing is introduced. The process is used by leaders and managers in the performance of positions. The process is also used as the guiding framework for this course.

2.    Critique the professional nurse’s leadership role in guiding a diverse care team.

The nurse’s leadership role is described and explored. The emphasis is on the leadership role of the professional staff nurse as well as other levels of nursing leadership in an organization.

3.    Integrate management concepts into the competent provision of client care.

The nurse’s management role is also described in the module. The differentiation between leadership and management tasks and behaviors is explored. The emphasis is on the leadership and management role of the professional staff nurse as well as other levels of nursing management in an organization.

Reading Assignment

Sullivan: Chapters 4, 7, 17

Overview

Leading, managing and following are integral parts of professional practice. Constructive behaviors associated with these concepts will influence patient care and organizational outcomes, regardless of titles. Leadership and management behaviors can be learned. It is important to recognize that leadership and management are two different concepts. One can be a manager and not be a leader, and vice versa. Leadership behaviors used by managers greatly affect followers and may be positive or negative. Both leaders and managers use power and influence to accomplish organizational goals. Dynamic leaders are those who mentor, coach, respect and positively contribute to the development of others. Think about people that you have known who are positive leaders, what characteristics and behaviors do they exhibit to influence others. What types of communication styles do leaders typically use?

There are a number of theories of leadership, managementand motivation that may be applied within an organization. Some of the common leadership theories include: Transformational Theory, Situational Contingency Theory, and motivation theories such as Herzberg’s, Maslow’s and Expectancy and Goal Setting Theory. In organizational behavior, there has been much research over the years in relation to what motivates people with the conclusion that there are two broad categories of motivation: 1) content and 2) process. Content theories are referred to as “needs theories” as they explain the specific factors that motivate people. These theories give insight into the question of “what drives people.” Process theories are also called cognitive theories and focus on what cognitive thinking motivates or drives the individual to initiate, redirect or halt behavior (Borkowski, 2005). Motivation is about providing an organization and culture that satisfies both of the employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs.

There are a number of concepts available related to leadership, management and organizational behavior. Power, one such concept, is used in the organization to influence the behavior of others. Yoder-Wise describe five behaviors that nurses use in relation to power related to political and professional practice. These include: 1) apathy, buy-in, self-interest, political sophistication and leading the way. These power related behaviors can positively or negatively influence organizational behavior. Empowerment has received much recognition in the healthcare community in the past two decades. It relates to personal and professional power or control for practice. It is seen in conjunction with autonomy, shared leadership, decentralized organizations and those with Magnet status.

Clinical leadership offers many challenges; one is to recognize the effect of personal and professional needs that motivate staff to perform job duties and reach desired outcomes. Finding out what motivates staff fosters empowerment through approval, satisfaction, accomplishment, and self-esteem, which fuel individual motivation. Individuals bring to the workplace different needs and goals, the type and intensity of motivators vary among employees. Motivated employees are more likely to be productive than are non-motivated workers. This is one reason that motivation is an important aspect of enhancing employee performance. It is imperative with the constant change within the health care settings with cost containment, cutbacks and reimbursement. As a leader much of the success in directing or delegating to staff less qualified than will depend on people-management skills—your ability to motivate those around you. The most successful motivators often become the most successful leaders. They are the leaders who cause things to happen with their ability to influence others. Methods used to motivate others are to establish credibility. Follow up on problems and when you keep all promises your credibility becomes firmly established. Be a role model by setting the tone and pace for your team. You set the standard for ethical behavior and support the view of what is important. Take an interest in others, as one of the greatest motivators is caring. Make sure it is genuine interest. Overzealous or insincere praise is as meaningless as no praise at all. Reward positive behaviors, which only reinforce the behavior and set the example for others. Share decision making with the staff. Staffs perform better when they feel they are contributing to a team effort, making a difference and work better when they are included. Offer constructive criticism. Sometimes it is necessary to offer constructive criticism to improve performance. Criticism should be directed toward the observed behavior and not toward the individual and should be in private.

Classic management functions include: planning, organizing, directing, controlling and staffing. Within these four broad categories are more specific management and organizational concepts as are pointed out in the Module I Power Point presentation. It is important to know the four broad categories of management. Contemporary management is outcome oriented and supports the missions and values of an organization. Key management functions to be familiar with include recognition, delegation, decision making, reporting, budgeting, problem solving and critical thinking. Each of these activities will be addressed in this course.

Assignment questions: Post answers in Forums Module II. See calendar for due date.

1. Select one of the leadership, management or motivational theories from the readings and discuss how you think it applies within the organization.

2. Describe your own leadership behaviors. Discuss leadership behaviors that you most admire.

3. Discuss leadership traits that you would like to acquire.

4. What are differences in management roles and leadership roles differ?

5. Discuss various types of power seen in an organization and which are advantageous and which are detrimental.

 

Explain the patient’s history including drug treatments and behavioral factors.

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Hypertension

 

 

 

In clinical settings, advanced practice nurses frequently use various strategies to treat and manage patients with hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. These strategies often include pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies, natural remedies, and/or changes in patient behavior. For hypertension patients, behavioral changes including increased exercise, healthier diet, and smoking cessation have proven to be particularly beneficial. However, it is important to recognize that treatment and management plans centered around changes in behavior often require greater patient commitment. This creates the need for patient-provider collaboration, as well as appropriate patient education. When patients are actively involved in their own care and better understand implications of their disorders, they are more likely to adhere to treatment plans.

 

 

 

To prepare:

 

•Review Part 11 of the Buttaro et al. text and the National Heart Lung Blood Institute article in this week’s Learning Resources.

 

•Reflect on your Practicum Experiences and observations. Select a case from these experiences that involves a patient who presented with a hypertension problem. When referring to your patient, make sure to use a pseudonym or other false form of identification. This is to ensure the privacy and protection of the patient.

 

•Think about the patient’s history including drug treatments and behavioral factors such as diet, exercise, smoking, etc.

 

•Review the National Heart Lung Blood Institute article in the Learning Resources. Reflect on health promotion strategies for the patient. Consider ways to reinforce hypertension management.

 

 

 

Post  1 to 2 pages on : Choose your own patient and a description of a patient who presented with a hypertension problem during your Practice as a nurse practitioner  Experience. Explain the patient’s history including drug treatments and behavioral factors. Then, suggest two health promotion strategies for the patient. Include suggestions for reinforcing hypertension management.

Discuss the value of statistical significance vs. pragmatic usefulness.

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Details:

1) Write a paper of 1,000-1,250 words regarding the statistical significance of outcomes as presented in Messina’s, et al. article “The Relationship between Patient Satisfaction and Inpatient Admissions Across Teaching and Nonteaching Hospitals.”

2) Assess the appropriateness of the statistics used by referring to the chart presented in the Module 4 lecture and the resource “Statistical Assessment.”

3) Discuss the value of statistical significance vs. pragmatic usefulness.

4) Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

5) This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.

explain how the theory or model that you selected was used in the research study.

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Theory, Research, and Evidence-Based Practice

As they explore the world around them, young children often want to know the “why” and “how” of the things they observe. This is similar to what researchers do when they approach a new problem. Researchers develop new theories or build on old ones to explain the “why” of the world around them. They use models and conceptual frameworks to help explain “how” the processes and events they observe occur. Together, theories and models provide an understanding of the world and allow researchers to explore it in meaningful ways.

Virtually all research questions can benefit from the use of an existing theory or model. Researchers should consider their research questions and select the most suitable theory or model, which then serves as a foundation for the research design. The selection of a theory or model is an important part of the research process.

In this Discussion, you focus on the role of theory and models in research and evidence-based practice.

To prepare:

  • Review the information in Chapter 6 of the course text. Focus on the various conceptual theories and models that are currently used in nursing research.
  • Select one of the theories or models described that is of interest to you.
  • Using the Walden Library, search for and identify a research article that uses the theory or model you selected.
  • Reflect on how the theory or model provides structure to the research study described in the article.
  • Now, think about an issue in your practice area that you would be interested in exploring through research.
  • Review this week’s media presentation and consider strategies for locating and identifying a relevant theory or model for a research study.

Post on or before Day 3 a (1) summary of the article that you located and (2) explain how the theory or model that you selected was used in the research study. (3) Assess the value of basing research on an established theory or model.

 

Evaluation of this assignment is purely on content and demonstration of learned concepts.

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Please submit a short course summary with three headings: Concepts Learned, Concept Application, and Application as a Healthcare Manager.

Over the past six weeks, the class has covered several topic, including laws, ethical concepts etc.  Please write an overview of the concepts you learned during this course  (Concepts Learned), write how you will apply the concepts (Concept Application), and finally write about what you will do as a current or future Healthcare Leader (Application as a Healthcare Leader).

Please use the three headings as identified above.  I do not require references or any specific APA formatting besides the headings.  Evaluation of this assignment is purely on content and demonstration of learned concepts.  Please cover at least five new topics you learned in this summary.  This assignment should be two – three pages.

Analyze the influence of politics on health care regulations, laws, and policies.

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Select a law that has an impact on the health care industry. Examples of such laws may include access to care, discrimination, health care privacy and security, employment, etc.

Write a 1,750- to 2,100-word paper in which you discuss the impact of the selected law on health care organizational policies.

Include the following in your paper:

  • Analyze the relationship between law and policy in health care.
  • Differentiate legislative versus institutional policies in health care.
  • Analyze the influence of politics on health care regulations, laws, and policies.
  • Analyze the role and impact of governmental and non-governmental regulatory agencies on health care policy.
  • Evaluate the impact of legislative policy on resource allocation in the health care industry.
  • Analyze the roles of organizational stakeholders and interest groups involved in health care laws and regulations.

Format your paper according to APA guidelines.

Cite at least 4 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references.

Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Explain essential points that explain how this issue has evolved or become a concern. (Include references to support your points and explanation.)

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Imagine you are a stakeholder for a non-profit health care organization. As a leader you are responsible for modeling ethical behavior and have the ability to encourage patient safety initiatives.  See rubric for additional details.

Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word letter to your legislator promoting a health policy which supports patient safety. Your policy could include safety issues such as and hand hygiene or Medication Administration.

Include the following in your letter:

  • Explain the health policy you are proposing and its purpose.
    • Explain why action is needed.
    • Explain what course of action is recommended.
    • Explain why this health policy change is important.
  • Explain essential points that explain how this issue has evolved or become a concern. (Include references to support your points and explanation.)
    • Explain who will be affected by this policy.
  • Analyze the responsibilities of the organization’s leadership.
    • Analyze the impact this policy will have on resources.
    • Describe if individuals meet licensing board requirements (if any).
    • Analyze the impact of not following ethical standards.
  • Analyze the responsibility of professional licensing boards as it applies to patient safety.

Format your references page according to APA guidelines.