Challenges in Healthcare Organizations

Running Head: CHALLENGES IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS
Challenges in Healthcare Organizations
Name
Institution

CHALLENGES IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS 2
Challenges in Healthcare Organizations
Introduction
The modern United States (US) healthcare system is faced with multiple problems, which
require critical solution before they affect the quality of care. In the future, these problems in the
healthcare sector are expected to place limitations on the excellence plus safety of health. Hence,
in addressing these challenges, there are many recommended, as well as executed strategies,
which have been launched in the US. However, it is important to stress that because of the nature
of matters affecting the healthcare, addressing these challenges in one environment can prove to
be complex and challenging. Communication and collaboration play a vital role in promoting
teamwork in a healthcare setting and address the current challenges facing the healthcare sector,
especially at the department level. In many instances, the lack of communication has been seen
to lower the quality and safety of care since it results in medical errors (Hunt, 2015).
The paper will seek to address some of the vital issues, which impact and challenge
leaders in a healthcare environment. This paper will further examine the effects of these issues
(poor job satisfaction that resulted in turnover rates and nurse shortages) on a department and
establish how enhancing communication and collaboration could advance the significance of the
emergency department.
Issues Faced by Our Organization
The two challenges that the emergency department face in then organization consists of
staff shortages and low poor job satisfaction resulting in turnover rates. Staff shortages have
exceedingly increased in the last few years. Thus, the delivery of nursing care for the patients is a

CHALLENGES IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS 3
multifaceted issue that needs a well-coordinated strategy, which entails many key health experts.
Physicians and nurses comprising all the other health professionals are required to deliver
individualized healthcare services to patients. Nonetheless, the current shortage of nurses in the
department has affected the delivery of care to patients in the department and affects the quality
of care. Staff shortage is a major challenge to any organization and the healthcare is not an
exemption. In the emergency department where I work, we are experiencing this problem plus
there is the need to comprehend why and collectively be accountable for working with the
current problem. Thus, the primary factors resulting in staff shortage is the absence of growth in
professional employment contrasted with the mounting demand for healthcare services. During
the past decades, the organization has expanded considerably; however, fewer new staff have
been employed by the emergency department resulting in a predicament (Choi, Cheung, & Pang,
2013).
Impacts of the Issues
Currently, each nurse in the department is serving more patients than before. In addition,
the department has the problem of poor job satisfaction, which has resulted in an elevated
turnover in the current years. Virtually, there is comparatively higher workload due to the
shortage of staff in the department. With the current budget for the emergency department
allocated by the human resource (HR) department, it is not feasible to meet our goals in regard to
staff plus incentives, which result in low satisfaction (Lartey, Cummings & Profetto-McGrath,
2013). Job satisfaction amongst practitioners is very important in regard to optimizing their full
potential. Consequently, the effect of staff shortage is apparent in the emergency department in
our organization. The most noteworthy is amplified operational expenses by the hospital. The