NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay

Nursing care delivery is defined as the way task allocation, responsibility, and authority are organized to achieve patient care. Tiedeman and Lookinland (2004) suggested that systems of nursing care delivery are a reflection of social values, management ideology, and economic considerations. (Tiedeman&Lookinland, 2004) According to Fewer (2006), the quality of nursing care delivery systems affects continuity of care, the relationship between nurse and patient, morale, nurse job satisfaction and educational preparation.(Fewer, 2006) Nurses are essential human resources to provide medical services with professional knowledge and skills in the healthcare setting. However, the registered nurse turnover rate has increased in recent years resulting in lowering morale and quality of patient care in the U.S. Various models of patient care delivery have been introduced. They include, total patient care and functional nursing, team nursing, primary nursing, nursing care management and transforming care at the bedside. These models vary in clinical decision making, work allocation, communication and management, and model choice is driven by differing social and economic forces.(Tiedeman&Lookinland, 2004) This paper examines the description and effects of the team nursing model. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper
Description of the Team Nursing Care Delivery Model
Research by Tiedeman, Lookinland (2004) illustrated in team nursing that the healthcare workers consist of a diversity of education, skills, licensure, professionals (RNs), technical personnel (LPNs), and ancillary staff (nurses’ aides).

The team model allows the utility of nonprofessional nursing personnel such as LPNs and nursing assistants, through delegation and observation by an RN while holding a team leader accountable.( Tiedeman&Lookinland,2004) The focus is to work collaboratively and cooperatively with shared responsibilities, and to some extent accountabilities, for assessment, planning, delivering, and evaluation of patient care. ( Tiedeman&Lookinland, 2004)
In this type of nursing care model, the RN team leader has the responsibility to supervise a group of patients. The team leader assigns team members with task allocations to personnel according to roles, licensure, education, ability and the complexity of the care required. (Tiedeman&Lookinland,2004) Therefore, the team leader also needs to be aware of the legal and political limits of each role. Yoder-Wise(2011) explained that another crucial role for the team leader is to improve patient satisfaction by planning the care, delegating the work, and following up with members to evaluate the quality of care for the patients assigned to the nursing team.(p. 255) It is extremely essential for team leaders to practice effective clinical leadership in the model.NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper.  Therefore, team leaders must have necessary experience, excellent nursing skills and in-depth knowledge to perform patient care and to communicate clearly with the team members. Also, the team leaders are required to be effective decision-makers and have conflict management capabilities. For the staff RN`s role and responsibility, according to Yoder-Wise(2011), ‘the staff nurses, as members of team, develop expertise in care delivery. The most educated staff is required to supervise less skilled workers, rather than providing direct care themselves.’ (p. 255) In explaining this role, staff nurses progress responsibility for significant care giving and identify nursing situations to provide support and assistance to unskilled workers especially for new graduates. As a result, nurses working in a team can better improve relationships. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

In team nursing, each team member delivers and provides patient care through the coordination and cooperation by delegation of assignments accordingly to the team member’s level of responsibility and accountability. For example, the RN performs the assessment and administers intravenous medications and handles the admission. Hence, LPNs may give oral medications and collect data. Nursing assistants are delegated minor duties such as hygiene tasks or personal care.
In terms of reporting relationships, according to Yoder-Wise(2011), ‘the member of a team reports directly to the team leader, who then reports to the charge nurse or unit manager hierarchically.’ (p. 254) Thus, the team leader must be higher skilled and well-trained in order to communicate between team members.
In spite of the model of care, all team members need to work within their scope of practice and be aware of the scope of their colleagues’ practices in the group. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

Cost, quality of care and patient satisfaction in a team nursing care model
According to Tiedeman and Lookinland (2004), ‘the team model is viewed as one of the most expensive models of patient care delivery because more personnel are needed. It is a less efficient model because of time spent in coordinating, delegating, and supervising leads to a loss of productive work time.’ In contrast, the functional nursing care model is more cost-effective. The model defines that fewer RNs with unprofessional workers can deliver care to a large group of patients. In spite of the financial benefits, the functional nursing model has been criticized due to crucial problems such as poor quality of care, low patient satisfaction, increased omissions and errors. Not surprisingly, nurses are enabled to provide a high quality of care to patients in team nursing. Tiedeman and Lookinland (2004) reviewed that ‘quality of care is higher with the model because the nurses have responsibility and accountability for fewer patients. The nurses know the patients better and can make assignments that best match each patient’s needs with staff abilities and skills, and provide more direction, coordination, and supervision.'(p. 294) Each member is able to approach and coordinate patient needs as well as improve continuity of care in team nursing. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

In today’s society, healthcare and the issues surrounding the topic has went through some major changes within the last decade. Some of these changes in my opinion were decent and very important when it comes to providing exceptional quality care in this health care industry. Although some of the changes were not so reasonable in the eyes of most, these changes were in the best interest for the economy and for the improvement of the healthcare industry as a whole. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

In this paper the author will attempt to explain how the healthcare industry has changed over the last 10 years, the biggest change in healthcare in the next 10 years, and the role the author plan to have in the health care industry in the near future.

The author will also explain how she would adapt her skills along with the industry’s needs, and how her perception has changed over the course of the program here at University of Phoenix. Finally the author will explain the most significant impact of the program, the role technology will play in healthcare organizations in the upcoming decade, and the financial and economic issues that will affect the healthcare industry in the next 10 years. Optimistically after the reader has carefully observed the content in this paper, he/she will have a better understanding of the delivery of healthcare and the changes that are made to ensure a better future for our health. How has health care changed in the last 10 years? NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

Health care has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and the changes for the most part has been very successful in regards to delivering quality service in healthcare. One major change that has been very significant in healthcare is the dramatic decrease in the mount of hospital stays after a major surgery or procedure is done. In the past, an individual that participated in a major surgery would have stayed confined to a hospital for at least a week to ensure proper healing and recovery. Now 10 years later several individuals may have the same surgery procedure conducted and will be home in a couple of hours, days, and in some cases the same day depending on the severity of the surgery. Technology has been a major contributing factor behind the improvement and delivery of quality healthcare within the last 10 years. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

According to Burchill 2010, technology is intended to assist several organizations accomplish specific tasks easier and more rapidly. An organization has to stay ahead of all the new changes and frequently shifting routines within the health care system (Burchill, 2010). Technology has ensured faster service when admitting patients, recovering patient’s information, and when providing surgical procedures that reduces the amount of time a patient has to spend in the hospital for recovery. What do you think will be the biggest change in health care in the next 10 years? There are some significant changes that I have observed recently that will be a dramatic change in healthcare in the next ten years. Some of those significant changes are; the rising costs of healthcare, lack of procedures covered under certain insurances, lack of access to care, and uninsured individuals. The most significant change is that now all individuals have access to care and are covered with insurance under the Affordable Care Act. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

By allowing all individuals to receive healthcare insurance and be given access to care this should more than likely reduce illnesses and motivate individuals to take advantage of the resources that are available under the insurance to better take care of themselves. Another big change that will be very significant in healthcare delivery will be through telemedicine. Telemedicine is where physicians and other healthcare providers can actually see and evaluate patients over the Internet. Many smaller communities in the United States are already utilizing telemedicine to great advantage (Burchill, 2010).Although telemedicine is a great way to deliver quality healthcare in a timely fashion, there is also a downside to the procedure as well. Telemedicine will in some way hinder the face to face communication between the doctor and patient that is vital in reducing errors. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

Most patients have a better understanding of what is expected of them when it is communicated clearly and effectively by their physician. Communication is the process of understanding and having meaning (Du Pre, 2005.) and it is also the process of relaying information between people by the use of words, letters, symbols, or body language (Sallee & Forrest, 2005,). In my opinion I feel that telemedicine will decrease the moral as far as the Dr. and Patients are concerned. Although telemedicine may decrease a portion of the healthcare cost by less visits to the doctor, it will lose the value and importance of actually sitting down and talking with your doctor and receiving that one on one face to face time. Most patients are not even in tuned with technology and this can result in many errors and communication issues. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

What role do you plan to have in the industry?

I think once I have entered the healthcare industry I will play a vital role in implementing fair but tough decision making when it comes to delivering efficient, friendly, quality healthcare. I feel that I will make reasonable decisions based on the enhancement of the facility while considering the needs of my patients and stakeholders as. I will be a leader that encourages a comfortable work environment where individuals are relaxed when reporting to work that will ultimately result in a productive staff that provides quality healthcare to our patients. How will you adapt your skills to evolve along with the industry’s needs? The skills that I have adapted here at University of Phoenix has changed my way of thinking. It has also assisted me with analyzing specific situations thinking outside of my way of thinking. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

So once I start working in the health care field, I will first observe my strengths and weaknesses within the organization, I would attempt to ask for advice on my weak areas, I will shadow other health care administrators, and I would also be willing to further my education to evolve with the industry’s needs if necessary. Has your perception of health care changed over the course of your program? What has had the most significant impact? Since I have been a student here at University of Phoenix my perception of healthcare has changed dramatically. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

I now have a better understanding of the different legal and state regulations that are involved, the stakeholders, and also how physicians and patients are billed for services received. This program has opened my eyes to a variety of situations that I did not know about in regards to healthcare. The most significant impact to me is the amount of individuals that were not covered under any type of insurance. I did not know that there were so many uninsured individuals in the world. Now that I am aware of the problem of the uninsured, I am very satisfied with knowing that the Affordable Care Act will be something in motion to guarantee that all citizens will be covered under some type of insurance. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

What role will technology play in health care organizations in the coming decade? Technology will play a very important role in healthcare in the coming decade because technology in my opinion will become more advanced. I really do believe that most services such as x-rays, cat scans, etc. will be conducted without the patients leaving the comfort of their own home. What financial and economic issues will affect the health care industry in the next 10 years? I believe that with all the new technology out there, there will be more ‘baby boomers” and individuals living and this will have a significant impact on the health care industry in the next 10 years. The healthcare cost will rise significantly because with these individuals living longer there has to be individuals there to care for them and health services must be provided. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

In Conclusion, The author explained how the healthcare industry has changed over the last 10 years, the biggest change in healthcare in the next 10 years, and the role the author plan to have in the health care industry in the near future along with how she would adapt her skills along with the industry’s needs, and how her perception has changed over the course of the program here at University of Phoenix. Finally the author explained the most significant impact of the program, the role technology has played in healthcare organizations in the upcoming decade, and the financial and economic issues that will affect the healthcare industry in the next 10 years. Hopefully after the reader has carefully observed the content in this paper, he/she will have a better understanding of the delivery of healthcare and the changes that are made to ensure a better future for our health. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper

References

Burchill, K. R. (2010, July/August). ARRA and meaningful use: Is your organization ready. Journal of Healthcare Management, 55(4), 232-235.

Du Pre, A. (2005). Communicating about health: Current issues and perspectives (2nd ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.

Sallee, A. & Forrest, S. (2005). Effective communication and conflict resolution. In Contemporary nursing issues and trends (3rd ed.). St. Louis: Mosby

The nursing profession has experienced numerous changes. In 1980s, there was a shift to all registered nursing staffing that led to nursing care being solely delivered by highly skilled nurses. Additionally, at the moment, health care institutions are restructuring their workforce in a bid to cut costs. Hospitals are reducing the number of registered nurses, but increasing the number of unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Health care institutions are establishing nursing care delivery models, which include nursing teams consisting of a registered nurse leader and assistive personnel such as the UAP. Currently, there is a focus on a nurse as a supervisor of a team of care givers with a spectrum of cognitive skills and knowledge. Due to the fact that a registered nurse if held responsible for the outcome of nursing care delivered by a team, registered nurses should be skilled in capacities, such as delegation, and so forth. NURS 3005 – The Context of Healthcare Delivery Essay Paper