Complete A Systematic Evaluation

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As a master’s-level health care practitioner, you may sometimes be tasked with the need to complete a systematic evaluation as a way of improving your organization’s outcomes. In this assessment, you will have a chance to practice these skills by completing a systematic evaluation of a unit, facility, or organization that you are familiar with in an attempt to identify the need to address the economic health care issue that you presented in the previous assessment. This systematic evaluation is often referred to as a needs analysis. Understanding how to do a needs analysis will be key as you advance through your career in the health care environment.

e sure to address each main point. Review the assessment instructions and scoring guide, including performance-level descriptions for each criterion, to ensure you understand the work you will be asked to complete and how it will be assessed. In addition, note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.

Overall, you will be assessed on the following criteria:

Summarize your chosen economic issue and its impact on your work, organization, colleagues, and community.
Reiterate your rationale for pursuing this issue, as well as the gap contributing to it that you identified in your previous assessment.
Identify any socioeconomic or diversity disparities that exist with how your chosen economic issue impacts any particular groups or populations.
Use at least one piece of evidence to support this disparity (public health data, aggregated data from an organization, or other scholarly resources).
Explain the findings of evidence-based or scholarly sources regarding the need to address your chosen issue and pursue potential change or implementation plans.
For example, if your implementation plan includes the need for increased staffing, you might want to research errors or patient falls that occurred as a result of high patient and low staff ratio in the literature.
Use at least four evidence-based or scholarly sources that are relevant to your chosen topic to support your explanation.
Explain the predicted outcomes and opportunities for growth as the result of the proposed change or implementation plan.
Outcomes and opportunities for growth should focus on economic considerations.
Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
3–5 double-spaced pages
RUBRIC

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

Competency 1: Analyze the effects of financial and economic factors (such as cost-benefit, supply and demand, return on investment, and risks) in a health care system on patient care, services offered, and organizational structures and operation.
Summarize the chosen economic issue and its impact on your work, organization, colleagues, and community.
Competency 2: Develop ethical and culturally equitable solutions to economic problems within a health care organization in an effort to improve the quality of care and services offered.
Identify any socioeconomic or diversity disparities that exist with how your chosen economic issue impacts any particular groups or populations.
Competency 3: Justify the qualitative and quantitative information used to guide economic decision making to stakeholders and colleagues.
Explain the findings of evidence-based or scholarly sources regarding the need to address your chosen issue and pursue potential change or implementation plans.
Competency 4: Develop ethical and culturally equitable economic strategies to address dynamic environmental forces and ensure the future security of an organization’s resources and its ability to provide quality care.
Explain the predicted outcomes and opportunities for growth as the result of the proposed change or implementation plan.
Competency 5: Produce clear, coherent, and professional written work, in accordance with Capella writing standards.
Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.

 

Sample Solution

Systematic Evaluation of Nurse-Patient Ratios and Economic Burden

Introduction

As a Master’s-prepared nurse practitioner working in a busy emergency department (ED), I am acutely aware of the economic pressures within the healthcare system. One critical issue impacting both quality of care and financial sustainability is the growing concern of inadequate nurse staffing levels. This systematic evaluation will focus on the economic impact of nurse-patient ratios in the ED setting.

Economic Issue and Impact

The rising costs of healthcare, coupled with limited resources, often lead to a shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in emergency departments. This understaffing creates a domino effect with significant economic consequences.

  • Increased Costs: Lower nurse-patient ratios necessitate more overtime pay and reliance on expensive agency nurses to fill staffing gaps. This can strain departmental budgets significantly.
  • Decreased Reimbursement: Studies show a correlation between lower nurse-patient ratios and higher patient mortality rates, leading to potential hospital penalties and reduced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid.
  • Reduced Productivity: Overworked and stressed nurses are more prone to errors, which can lead to longer patient stays, increased readmission rates, and additional costs associated with complications.

These economic burdens affect not only the ED but also the overall financial health of the healthcare organization.

Rationale and Gap Analysis

In my previous assessment, I identified the economic burden of inadequate nurse staffing as a critical issue. The gap lies in the disconnect between the financial benefits of optimal nurse-patient ratios and the current staffing practices driven by cost-cutting measures.

Socioeconomic Disparities

The economic impact of nurse staffing shortages disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. Low-income and minority communities often rely on safety-net hospitals, which tend to be more understaffed compared to well-resourced facilities. This perpetuates health disparities and creates unequal access to quality emergency care.

According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Healthcare Management, “hospitals serving a higher percentage of Medicaid patients were more likely to have lower nurse-to-patient ratios”(Source 1). This highlights the need to address staffing disparities based on socioeconomic factors.

Evidence-Based Support for Change

Multiple studies support the need to address nurse staffing shortages as an economic imperative. A 2022 research article in Medical Care found that “hospitals with higher nurse staffing levels had lower patient mortality rates, which translated into significant cost savings”(Source 2 [invalid URL removed]).

Another study published in Nursing Economics in 2020 demonstrated that “optimal nurse staffing levels can lead to a reduction in hospital-acquired infections, a significant cost factor for healthcare institutions”(Source 3 [invalid URL removed]).

These findings provide compelling evidence that investing in adequate nurse staffing can yield positive economic outcomes for healthcare organizations.

Proposed Change and Predicted Outcomes

The proposed change involves implementing evidence-based nurse-patient ratios in the ED. This would necessitate a cost analysis to determine the budgetary impact of increased staffing levels. However, the potential economic benefits should be considered:

  • Reduced Overtime and Agency Costs: Optimal staffing can decrease reliance on expensive overtime and agency nurses, generating long-term cost savings.
  • Improved Reimbursement Rates: Lower patient mortality rates associated with better nurse-patient ratios can lead to higher reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid.
  • Enhanced Patient Outcomes: Adequate staffing allows nurses to provide better care, potentially leading to shorter patient stays, fewer complications, and reduced readmission rates, all contributing to positive economic outcomes.

Conclusion

This systematic evaluation has highlighted the significant economic burden of inadequate nurse-patient ratios in emergency departments. The proposed change of implementing evidence-based staffing levels, while requiring upfront investment, has the potential to generate significant cost savings and improve financial sustainability in the long run. By prioritizing optimal nurse staffing, healthcare organizations can ensure both economic viability and the delivery of high-quality emergency care to all patients.

Future Considerations

Further research is needed to explore cost-effective strategies for implementing optimal nurse-patient ratios. This might involve exploring innovative staffing models, such as utilizing nurse practitioners or physician assistants to manage less critical cases, freeing up RNs to focus on high-acuity patients. Additionally, advocating for legislative changes that address nurse burnout and promote retention strategies can create a more sustainable healthcare environment.

 

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