NURS 6053: Interprofessional Organizational & Systems Leadership

Introduction

Health care professionals have a mandate to provide safe, patient-centered, effective and quality health care. The intricacy of health care has increased, and it is crucial for health care providers to apprehend how individual practice contributes to the larger health care system (Hayajneh, 2007). Based on this context, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) introduced the systems-based practice as a major competency in which physicians must be skilled to be able to provide quality and safe healthcare (Johnson, Miller & Horowitz, 2008).System theory evaluates the world as a system comprised of subsystems. In hospital settings, there is a system with inputs, processes and outputs. As put forward by Meyer & O’Brien‐Pallas (2010), the organization of health care is theorized as an open system categorized by a dynamic steady state, event cycles, negative entropy, energy transformation, differentiation, negative feedback, integration and coordination and equifinal. This paper thus seeks to identify and describe a problem in a health care organization unit using the open-system approach while using the systems theory model in identifying specifically where the problem exists. Based on this review, the paper will formulate how the problem can be addressed through the designing of desired goals, objectives, outcomes, and translating the goals and objectives to policies and procedures.  In addition, the paper aims at explaining how the suggested resolution will uphold the values, mission, culture and climate of the organization.

Department or Unit Using Systems Theory Terminology

Since health care is conceptualized as an open system, it has several components including negative feedback, inputs, and systems of cycle of events, outputs and throughput.  Inputs include the flow of resources and information from the external environment. Such include supplies, employees, and funding and market conditions. Throughput is the process of reorganizing the inputs, which is characterized mainly by the health care interventions. Output includes the products exported back to the external environment mainly the volumes and flow of patients. The systems cycle of events is a process of replacing and renovating of energy to generate recurring series of activities. This is measured revenues generated and accreditation criteria achieved. The negative feedback is the core information about system operation measured by routine performance indicators (Meyer & O’Brien‐Pallas, 2010).

In the organisation where I work, we have a problem in the production subsystem specifically the inpatient unit. Most of the patients admitted in the unit suffer from Cellulitis. This is a common soft tissue, and skin infection caused commonly by foreign objects in the skin. Such patients are admitted for other health care problems only for the health care providers to notice the new infection. In some instances, the nurses fail to notice the infection and blame the organization when the infection becomes mild. Most of the patients assume this infection as a mere bruise and thus fail to report it. In case the nurses fail to notice the infection, then it deteriorates, and the patients commonly blame the infection on the health organization. Most of the affected patients argue that the infectious bacterium is in the health facility and thus blame the facility for their infection. This has affected the whole organisation in that several patients have launched complains with relevant bodies about the quality of health care in the organization. The move has affected the revenues generated, accreditation criteria and performance criteria.

Desired Outcome

There are foreign objects affecting the skin in the community. The object is affecting mainly the leg skin. Data has shown that 54% of the inpatients admitted in the last two months have the Cellulitis infection in their legs. A recent survey done on the affected patients revealed that most of the people in the community do not consider wearing sturdy well-fitted shoes or loose slippers with socks as hygienic for infectious bacteria.

Goals and Objectives

The major goal of the organization is to lower the infection rate in the community. The organization intends to educate the members of the community on how to maintain hygiene and avoid the infectious bacteria. The major objective is that by the end of six months, the organisation will have trained 120 community members who will then be used as trainers to train other people.

Policies and Procedures

To achieve the goals and objectives stated above, there is need to generate policies and procedures to adhere. Policies that ensure that all patients are examined for the Cellulitis infection are required. The policy should ensure that all infected patients are treated and educated on prevention. The procedures to be employed to ensure all patients are screened for the infection are significant in ensuring that all patients receive the health care they deserve. Thus, while the policy should ensure that the patients are examined and treated for the infection, the set procedures should elaborate on how the treatment should be done.

Relevant Professional Standards

It is the purpose of all health care providers to provide safe, effective and patient-centered care. However, to do this, there is a need for all stakeholders to have a common purpose. A common purpose arises when the involved parties align their values with a common challenge (Manley et al., 2014). In 2010, there was national policy outlining the need to improve the patient safety and experience by nurturing innovation and productivity. Thus, the problem facing the organization requires innovation regarding policies and procedures to ensure health care is safe and patients have a good experience. All the stakeholders involved need to have the common purpose of improving the health care in the organization.

Mission, Values, Culture, and Climate

The mission statement of the organization is to provide excellent physical and emotional health care to the patients and their families by balancing the commitment to those most in need and the provision of specialized care to the whole community. By training the community on the prevention of the Cellulitis infection, the organization will have adhered to its mission of providing excellent health care by preventing the occurrence of the infection.

The value statement of the organization is to foster an environment where all people are respected and valued and have an opportunity for both personal and professional growth. Training the community will foster an environment where patients feel valued, and the nurse attains professional growth.

The organization’s culture is that of demonstrating social responsibility using resources in a just manner. The organization will be adhering to its culture of social responsibility by training the community on how to avoid and prevent the Cellulitis infection.

The organization’s climate is that of commitment to patient safety. The organizations maintain safety by adopting relevant changes. The new policies and procedures will ensure that patients are safe both in the hospital and at home.

Conclusion

System based care ensures that health care providers understand the overall effect of individual efforts to the complete health care system. In incorporates training and practice to deliver patient care that is patient-centered and safe (Glenister, 2011). If the different components of the system including negative feedback, inputs, and systems of cycle of events, outputs and throughput work efficiently, there is quality health care provision. Health care organizations need to foster good policies and procedures to solve any challenges in the workplace that can affect the open system.

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