Post written in response to fellow learners’ post and are each between 100-150 words. Responses are substantive insightful and contain at least one reference.

Identify three key stakeholders that may be a support to Mary in addressing the budget cut issues. Provide rationale for your decision. (SLO 3.1, CO 1, 3

           A stakeholder that may be a support for the DON in addressing the budget cuts is Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). HPP focuses on the development of healthcare coalitions (HCC) designed to promote emergency preparedness collaboration among hospitals and between hospitals and public health agencies, emergency management agencies, and emergency medical services (Toner, 2017). 

Rationale

The HPP coalition network this healthcare belongs to may be of a tremendous support to the healthcare facility. The DON may collaborate with the HPP coalition network for reduced or no cost of hazard preparedness for a limited period. The facility’s hazard preparedness will be fully covered by the coalition during this grace period. Healthcare coalitions are the best way to manage limited preparedness funds (Toner, 2017). This collaboration and support will reduce or eliminate the cost of preparedness therefore lowering the healthcare organization overall costs.

            The nursing organization or associations can be a supportive stakeholder in a budget cuts situation. Though state and federal policies guide the nurse staffing ratio, staffing differs and are dependent on organizations.

Rationale

Collaboration with the greatest resource of the healthcare organization, the nursing staff can help beat the high cost of full staffing. Collaboration with nurse union and/or association can bring about agreement to adjust staffing matrix (Drake, 2020). These adjustments may temporarily proffer solution to inability to hire new nurses or approve overtime because of budget cuts.

            Staff training, in-service, and other in-house staff training to be encouraged instead of the use of third-party trainers or educators. Staff training and continued education cannot be over emphasized, increased knowledge, better skills and competencies that result in better patient outcomes depend on training and retraining. The stakeholders in this regard are the experienced nurses in the facility.

Rationale

Experienced nurses, specialty champions in their own rights, and DNP prepared nurses in the facility can assist in training other nurses less experienced in the facility. These nurses, collaborating with the DON, can work as a team with nurse educators to meet the training needs of the facility nurses. Teamwork education will help defray cost of needed training for the nurses (Eddy, Jordan, &Stephenson, 2016). This will go a long way of meeting statutory education needs.

References

Drake, K. (2020). Staffing during budget cuts. Nursing management (Springhouse): March 2020

 – Volume 51 – Issue 3 – p 56 doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000654868.04675.61

Examine legal and ethical issues surrounding Mary’s predicament. Consider issues surrounding accreditation bodies, joint commission standards, national and local staffing regulations, state board requirements, and current or projected population health care needs. Discuss your findings. (SLO 3.1, CO 1, 3)

            Budget cuts in the nursing department will affect the efficient running of the department. Budget cuts will impact staffing, nursing training and retraining, and supplies and equipment. All these have legal and ethical implications that must be considered while cutting back on budget. Nursing practice is guided by law, state and federal, to safeguard nurses and patients. Awareness of guiding law will prevent or make a nurse less exposed to litigations while taking care of patients (Mohammed, 2017). American Nurses Association, ANA, on the other hand has ethical principles to guide workplace relationships, patient care, and decision making in way and manner consistent with the profession. Nurses should refer to the ethical principles when in doubt (Gaines, 2020). The code of ethics support patient advocacy to ensure no harm is done to the patient (Mohammed, 2017). The DON has to ensure that in cutting cost, patient care is not compromised in any way and that no legal statute is violated.

            The Joint Commission is an accrediting agency charged to oversee healthcare facilities’ quality care. The Joint Commission standards review all patient care processes to ensure quality care. When joint commission standards are well implemented, there will be improved patient care processes leading to better patient outcomes and improved nursing experiences and satisfaction. Adherence to Joint Commission standards earns the hospital certification of good health (The Joint Commission, 2021). The DON will want to maintain accreditation by maintaining Joint Commission standards.

            Retaining appropriate staffing in the facility is important. Both state and national staffing regulations need to be adhered to. Some states do have staffing patient ratio, for many, staffing is according to the facility unique needs. Staffing regulations enacted to ensure adequate nurses are available to provide high quality care and safe care (Serratt, Mayer, & Chapman, 2014). In our case study, care need to be taken to ensure appropriate staffing and to be mindful of staffing regulations compliance.

            A state board of nursing is a specific state agency that sets the standards for safe nursing care, decides the scope of practice for nurses within its jurisdiction, and issues licenses to qualified candidates. State Board also monitor licensee’s compliance with the state regulations, initiate corrective measures against licenses of those not complying with regulations, and also accredit nursing education (Nursing, 2003). The DON needs to make certain that her nurses are working according to scope of practice, providing safe nursing care, and are complying with all regulations.