The Hollies Care Home: A Case Study of Staff Shortages and its Impact

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SSC 310 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS -C5

Table of Content
Essay................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
Description...................................................................................................................................3
Feelings........................................................................................................................................4
Evaluation....................................................................................................................................4
Analysis........................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................6
Action Plan...................................................................................................................................6
Report..............................................................................................................................................7
Introduction..................................................................................................................................8
Mission Statement........................................................................................................................8
Organisation’s Vision..................................................................................................................8
Organisational Structure..............................................................................................................9
Organisational management.......................................................................................................10
Appraisal....................................................................................................................................12
Training......................................................................................................................................12
Staffing.......................................................................................................................................13
Strength and Weakness..............................................................................................................14
Recommendation and Conclusion.............................................................................................15
Reference List................................................................................................................................16
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Essay
Introduction
This essay has aims to evaluate staff shortage problem of UK healthcare industry. The Hollis has
been chosen as example and it has been formulated from point of view of nurse who is suffering
from staff shortage in concerning organisation. This essay has been formulated by maintaining
GIBBS reflective system consisted to description of problem, effect of employee shortage on
organisational workforce and proper evaluation of this problem. Referred medical official has
made a proper evaluation of concerning topic and analysed concerning problem. A conclusion
has been mentioned with proper action plan that should be incorporated to workforce by officials
of The Hollis.
Description
Elderly care is a significant portion of healthcare sector and UK authority has providing attention
to this. In the present care facility, The Hollis performs in elderly care operation sector that caters
to old people suffering from health issues. In order to describe their operational problem, they
have focused on communication, staff shortage, safeguard of patient as well as healthcare
staffs, inefficient analysis of problems and time management. In case of communication, I as a
nurse has pointed that there are two variables of communication; supply management of
medicine and communication with patient and their family. It is prudent for supply management
to maintain communication with doctors to maintain timely supply of required medicines (The
Hollies care home, 2019). On the other hand, effective communication is needed between
medical officials and family of patient. I believe that this company has not expanded
organization culture in other geographical areas that garnered the problem of employee shortage.
An elderly patient named James Anderson, aged 77 has been admitted to our institution who is
suffering from gastric cancer. He was not able to communicate with, medical staffs about his
problems and we were in a dismay condition to make some effective steps. However, another
nurse has arrived and conveyed other that radiology therapy would be given to that patient.
When the patient knows about his problems and radiological therapy will be started, he started to
cry and we helped him to calm down. It has been witnessed by me that elderly people are needed
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to be monitored by time to time and that job needs employee base and our organisation has been
suffering from that. Wrong or insufficient analysis of problems has also been witnessed in this
sector (Somma et al. 2015: 171-172). It can be mentioned that proper analysis is prime reason for
solving problems of a healthcare issue in elderly people. Time management is another significant
issue that have been noticed in this institution. Many employees who are performing job in to
organisational operation of this healthcare institution do not follow proper time management that
damage health care operation for elderly people.
Feelings
These problems are affecting organisational performance of this organisation. I as a part of this
company feel problems of miscommunication. It has been mentioned that supply of medicine is a
prime part of communication. Supply of medicines as well as information sharing among
employees of concerning organisation are important part of communication. Employees share
their views and information for problem solving. However, lack of effective communication is
harming my performance by lack of medicine and unawareness of case history of patient (Sarre
et al. 2018: 145-146). On the other hand, staff shortage has affected organisational performance
for taking care of elderly people. Staff engagement is needed for taking care of patient in
different variable; understanding of problem, provide mental support, health observation,
providing equipments or medicines.
However, in case of staff shortage I as a nurse has also perform multitasking in different
operational perspective. That is hampering both my physical and mental health by making extra
pressure. Due to this pressure, my performance has been hampering and mental health condition
has been disturbed. Other nurses are feeling same problems and that leads us to occupational
hazards. Concerning organisation has not even provided proper training of time management and
teamwork. Wrong analysis is other problem that has been generated due to this occupational
problem of staff shortage (Aveling et al. 2015: 6). We are working in a risky workplace that
induces improper safety measurements of patients and employees. It has not included legal
shields for doctors and nurses that can motivate them to perform a risky job with elderly care.
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Evaluation
Problems that have been mentioned in above context, plays significant part of our working
culture and personal life. Medical staffs and nurses are being allotted by extra pressure of work
and imbalance of their duty. Due to absence of proper training and staffs, inter departmental
shuffling is being frequently occurring in organisational operation. This made severe effect on
nursing performance that affects care giving work. It has been mentioned in this essay that wrong
analysis of problems and time management have been based on staff shortage. Due to staff
shuffling in different departments, include professional confusion about job role of a nurse. I
have been trained as a nurse but in many cases I have to play role of nutritionist and medical aid.
I also had to analyse patient’s problem without proper training. Many other nurses and medical
staffs have to perform same job roles. We are getting frustrated by different job roles that make
impact on our efficiency as well as patient’s health. In case of time management, no tasks are
being allocated by maintaining proper time frame. Hence, we are not able to follow proper time
slot and failed to provide timely care to elderly patients.
Analysis
I as a nurse has witnessed communication gap during a health care operation or diagnosis.
Adaptive Structure Theory has been followed by organisation to maintain organisational
communication. Staff shortage is another problem that have been witnessing by us. I have
noticed in my organisation that elderly patient who is suffering from Alzheimer’s are not able to
inform healthcare officials to inform about their problems. However, officials are not
maintaining communication with their patient parties (Willis et al. 2019: 56-57). In case of
communication I have witnessed that many medicines have been supplied to this organisation
that are not mandatory for concerning situation. However, other medicines that are needed to be
supplied are not being available to doctors. This communication gap has been formatted due to
inefficient communication between medical officials and supply staffs. I have witnessed absence
of proper training and instrumentation has given rise to an incorrect appraisal.
I also noticed that nurses do not share information about patients among them to solve health
issues. In case of effective safeguard to their careers, this organisation provide fire extinguisher
but do not maintain any emergency exit. I could not find any safeguard operation for employees
who are working in this organisation. In case of team management I could not find any team
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performance or time management. Nurses should follow time management strategies to and
effective teamwork to deal with problems (Beaussier et al. 2016: 205-206). Officials of this
organisation use Maslow’s Motivational theory to encourage their employee base by awarding
them with promotion or increment. In order to accomplish care giving job to elderly patient, it is
significant for healthcare operators to maintain teamwork of their employees to meet problems
related to employee shortage and take necessary operations according to time management
(Thom, 2018: 84-85). In order to take care of elderly patients, time plays a pivotal role for
observing health conditions and provides medicines according to that.
Conclusion
The Hollis has been situated in Broxbourne, United Kingdom and operates their healthcare
service with a home of 27 elderly people. This organisation has suffering from problems in
different operational performance like communication, Staff shortage, Safeguard, Wrong
assessment of problems, time management and solution. Problems have been discussed in
description part of this essay and their problems have been focused on communication gap, staff
shortage, safeguard, wrong analysis and time management. I have founded problems that have
been originated from these issues and analysed them with proper evidences. An effective action
plan has been formulated by me has been mentioned below. I believe that these action plans can
make effective changes in organisational operation of concerning elderly care institution.
Action Plan
The Hollies is a private healthcare home who takes elderly care of their patients. I as a nurse of
this institution have evaluated problems regarding effective communication, safeguard of
patients, time management, and shortage of staffs and wrong analysis of patients. I personally
believe that information sharing can be helpful for nurses to get proper information about
problem of elderly people. I also instruct may subordinates to collect information from family of
patients to collect case history and proceed accordingly (Hignett et al. 2018: 5-6). In case of
providing safeguard to patients, I have noticed that our organisation has modified safety plan by
implementing proper fire extinguisher system and exit path at the time of emergency. I also
follow that organisation had taken some legal steps that are helpful for nurses and other medical
staffs in case of any occupational failure and demise of patient.
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I would like to advice authority to provide effective training to their nurses and medical carers to
maintain time management and teamwork. In case of elderly healthcare, teamwork infuses staff
endeavour for solving any problem and inject effective communication. This communication
infuses strong organisational bonding and effective time management for nurses and maintains
time management strategies by rotational performance of job.
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Report
Executive Summary
This report has been based on observation of nurse of The Hollies, a UK based healthcare
organisation that operates service in elderly healthcare. This report has been formulated under
the consolidation of essay that has been mentioned above. This report has included
organisational structure of The Hollies and management style of concerning organisation. This
report has also included organisational mission and vision along with leadership and
management styles that has been followed by concerning organisation. Different tool of appraisal
has also included in this report with effective recommendation that has been formulated from
point of view of nurse.
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Introduction
This report has been focused to evaluate organisational perspective of The Hollies, a UK based
healthcare organisation who operates their service in elderly care services. This report includes
mission statement of concerning organisation and organisational vision. Organisational structure
has also been included in this report. Concerning nurse has discussed about organisational
management that includes appraisal, teamwork of employees, training and staffing method that
has been followed by organisational operators for maintaining their employee base. Proper
strength and weakness of concerning organisation has also been discussed by nurse. This report
has been based on essay that has evaluated different problems that have been discussed in essay.
Mission Statement
Organizational mission of The Hollies are to provide effective healthcare for elderly people in
UK.
● Attitude: Make effective healthcare program for their patient to ensure health and safety
issues of elderly people. They also recommend ethical issues that help an elderly patient
for cure and care.
● Proactive Involvement: The Hollies make effective planning to involve their employee
efficiency into healthcare operation (NHS, 2019). They are even planning to induce
training program for their employees.
● Excellence: Excellence is another aspect that organisational operator has aimed to
achieve. Their aim is to focus on providing best service for their operational expansion.
● Spirit: Officials of Hollies focuses to maintain performance spirit of their employees to
provide proper care to their patients and maintain their working spirit.
● Compassionate Care: Organisational officials of this organisations are promised to
provide compassionate care to their elderly patient by providing them mental support and
proper observation.
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Organisation’s Vision
It has been mentioned earlier that this organisation operates their service in elderly healthcare in
UK sector. Their organisational vision is
● To expand their business in all over UK for providing effective elderly healthcare.
● To operate old age home service and provide effective care of elderly people.
● Elderly people, who have successfully performed their job in healthcare sector, will be
monitored and get enlisted in operational performances.
● Provide training programs to their employees to understand needs of elderly patient and
provide adequate mental support.
● Evaluate employee productivity into organisational operations and increase employee
base of concerning organisation.
● Produce a proper selection process that will be fruitful for organisational operators to
induce efficient employee base.
● Provide effective tool that ensure health and safety of patient as well as nurses and
caregivers.
● Provide effective legal shields to their employees that help them to protect their rights
and ethics.
● Segment jobs to maintain work pressure and effective time management strategies as well
as employee base.
● Induce an effective Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy.
Organisational Structure
Organisational structure of a healthcare institute is composed to different job roles that are being
played by different management and employees. In order to discuss organisational structure of
The Hollies, nurse who have accomplished this report has mentioned that whole organisation
operate their job under supervision of a board of control that has been composed to Chief
Executive officer and a directors of board (Phillimore, 2016: 152-153). They are responsible to
monitor organisational operations along with operational expansion, technical advancement and
arrangement of funding. They are also liable to monitor human resource department of this
healthcare organisation.
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Human resource department of concerning organisation focused to maintain employee base as
well as employee welfare. This department is liable to provide adequate training to their
employees. Along with this department there are hospital supervisors who monitor their
operations and make effective decision for providing improved facility. On the other hand, this
supervisor is also accountable for conveying effective instructions to their subordinate managers.
Managers are accountable for observing doctors (Kuenburg et al. 2016: 1-2). Doctors are
responsible for maintaining patient’s health and provide them necessary medical aids. They are
also responsible to provide adequate data about patient’s health to organization and advice
officials to make necessary moves to operate.
Nurses are other significant part of concerning company’s organisational structure. This report
has been formulated from point of view of a nurse. They are accountable for maintaining
improvement of patient and provide medical aid as per doctor’s advice and prescription. Apart
from these medical jobs, nurses are also responsible for conducting their job as mental support
and caregiver (Kupeli et al. 2018: 164-165). Along with nurses, other medical staffs are also part
of this elderly healthcare central like ward boy, pathological assistant and cooks. Ward boyes are
accountable for operating their job as per instructions from nurses and doctors. On the other side,
pathological assistants are accountable for analyse problems of patient through proper medical
tests. Cooks of concerning organisation is accountable for providing healthy and digestible foods
to elderly people for maintaining their health.
Organisational management
This report has made a proper evaluation of organisational management that has been formulated
by operators of The Hollies, an elderly care organisation in UK healthcare sector. Both
leadership and management style has been followed by this organisational operators. It has been
mentioned in structure that there are managers have been appointed by board of directors and
those managers are liable to play role of leaders in their healthcare operations. In order to
maintain their leadership style, they follow Contingency Theory of leadership that infuses
decision making on situation and employee productivity. It has been mentioned by a nurse of
concerning organisation that time management and staff shortage can be termed as two major
reasons of workforce turbulence in concerning organization (Gonzalez-Izquierdo et al. 2015:
186-187). Therefore, managers have provided rotational system of working hours into their
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organisational workforce. This working hour infuses effective time slots and continuous
repetition of their job operation without injecting any extra pressure to their nurses and other
medical staffs.
Figure 1: Contingency Theory of leadership
(Source: Gonzalez-Izquierdo et al. 2015: 186-187)
Apart from leadership, managers of The Hollies are also accountable for maintaining effective
management strategies and theories to smoothen organisational operation as stated by Holland,
(2017: 45-46). In this regard, they follow Democratic Style of Management that infuses making
decision after knowing thoughts and recommendations of every employee of this organisation. It
has been mentioned earlier in both essay and report that nurses and medical staffs are facing
problems due to lack of staff shortage. In this regard, managers are liable to make effective
decisions by evaluating problems and thoughts of every nurse and medical staffs. Managers have
organised a seminar to ask for recommendations from their employees. They have evaluated
information and data from their employees and make effective management decision for
organisational operations.
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