NUR 699 - Evidence-Based Practice Proposal: Alleviating Nurse Shortage

This report addresses the critical issue of nurse shortages across medical fields, exacerbated by increased life expectancy and the retirement of baby boomers. It explores the implications of this shortage, including increased stress on existing nurses and potential negative impacts on healthcare facility profitability. The report proposes solutions centered on change management, organizational readiness, and evidence-based practices. Key strategies include enhancing communication programs, increasing employee engagement, investing in nursing education, and fostering positive work environments. The Kurt Lewin model of change is discussed as a framework for implementation, with emphasis on the role of nurse leaders in driving these changes. The evaluation plan focuses on monitoring the effectiveness of implemented strategies in reducing nurse workforce shortages. This resource is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools for students.

EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICE PROPOSAL

Abstract
 Across the various medical fields, there is a shortage of nurses
 Increased life expectancy has caused the increase in demand for nurses
 Organizations have to meet a certain criteria for the recruitment of
nurses without which the profitability of the medical facilities can be
affected
 This also leads to longer working hours for the existing nurses who have
to stretch their work shifts which affects the quality of service
 The report is focused towards finding ways to reduce job burnout for
nurses

Introduction: Problem statement
 Nurses in the US are working under increased stress due to strained public healthcare
system as the aged population increases
 According to the US bureau of labor statistics report that by 2022, 500 thousand registered
nurses are due to retire
 This creates opportunities for the other nurses however has implications that are negative
 100, thousand vacant spot for nurses will be present throughout the year
 Long working hours and extended work periods can negatively affect the nurses
 The main identified problems for nurse are burnout, ageing and career and family

Introduction: Foreground question
 What can be the implications of proper change management and
readiness of the organization towards reducing nurse shortages and
minimizing health administration that is improper?

Organizational culture and Readiness
 Selected tool for the organization culture survey: the Organizational Readiness for
System-wide integration of the Evidence-Based Practice.
 The tool will help in the identification, investigation and evaluation of
organizational readiness in the medical practice through practice that are evidence
based

Organization’s Readiness level
 changes readiness is the capability of an
organization to implement a change or
embrace the changes that are necessary
 One of the toughest identified issues is
concerning dealing with the
organizational changes
 This include dealing with changes in
degree of centralization, education and
training programs, job specialisation,
control and planning systems, and
organization structures.

Organization Culture and Readiness
assessment tool
 Change in the degree of centralization, education and training
programs, job specialisation, control and planning systems, and
organization structures are significant challenges
 The tool used is Organizational Readiness for System-wide integration of
the Evidence-Based Practice (OCRSIEP)
 The tool is a 25 scale item and measures the extent to which the various
factors affect the organization
 the Likert scale assigns a score of 1- which is equivalent to none at all;
5- represents very much.
 Greater than 0.85 is found to the value of internal consistency reliability

Literature Review
 Literatures have highlighted that organizational readiness helps in the
change of the healthcare setting and enhances policy making, practices
and programs effectively
 According to Hauck, Winsett & Kuric (2013) high organizational change
induces more cooperation, persistence, effort and focus among
members
 The inter rater agreement and the inter rater reliability statistics
supported the aggregation at the individual level readiness perceptions
towards the organizational level analysis.
 ORIC is a valid tool as it has helped to effectively measure
organizational readiness and the determination of consequential effects
various situations can affect organizations (Melnyk et al., 2018)

Literature Review
 Literatures have highlighted that proper measurement of the
organizational readiness can effectively reduce the number of change
efforts conducted by healthcare organizations
 At the same time it is important to mention that such efforts can
definitely lead to not achieving the desired benefits and also not fail
altogether (Kaplan et al., 2014)
 Usage of OCRSIEP survey has proved to be successful towards
enhancing the organizational readiness and the organizational culture
for the purpose of evidence based practice
 The literatures highlighted that the evidence based programs help
towards shaping the nursing along with organizational culture (Schaffer,
Sandau & Diedrick, 2013)

Description of solution
 Some unique set of factors can determine the services to patients
 Hiring managers and recruiters to improve the skills of hiring of
personnel
 Nursing institutions should promote nursing as a lifesaving service to the
general public
 The facility and the federal leaders should be creative towards the
application of critical thinking for the recruitment and sustenance of
nurses

Description of solution
 Early recruitment to nursing aspirants to the position of registered
nurses especially the final years students of nursing schools
 The support staffs at healthcare services should increase to facilitate
and sustain the newer nursing aspirants
 Healthcare facility leaders should maintain strong leadership for
enhancing the workforces to create engaging and satisfying
environment for nurses
 Experienced nurses should be recruited in the place of leadership to
facilitate the better mentoring of young nurses
 Essential rewards and recognition should be provided to nurses to
facilitate the long standing commitment of nurses

Description of solution
 Job sharing can be implemented for nurses in order to help them make
their work more flexible in the organization
 Phased form of retirement plans could be formulated
 Statutory requirements and standards need to be created to implement
less than 12 hour work schedules
 Proper communication programs need to be developed
 Employee engagement
 Investment in nursing programs should be made more