: Discussion – Week 1 NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
There is a higher level of physical, emotional, and mental stress associated with critical care areas of healthcare. The work demand in critical care areas such as intensive care or post-anesthesia care units directly affects the overall well-being of individuals who work in these areas NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor. A major healthcare stressor that has severely heighten the stress level in these areas is the current Coronavirus pandemic. Covid-19 has made working in critical care areas the most stressful it has been in decades past. Stress negatively impacts nurses and patient outcomes; however, those practicing in critical care areas experience high levels of burnout and other negative health issues (Vahedian-Azimi, et al., 2017).
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I currently work in the second busiest intensive care unit in the state of Maryland. Covid-19 has increased the work-related stress level on the unit tenfold. Covid-19 has caused a rapid spike in individuals admitted to the ICU, increasing the workload of all members on the unit, especially nurses. Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on the unit with increased negative patient outcomes, unsafe working conditions, and even dire staffing issues. Since the beginning of the year, the unit has had five different unit managers, three different directors, and within the past couple months, a significant loss of staff, including fatality. NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor Obesity, cardiovascular disease, decreased mental health, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression are all linked to work-related stress (Alenezi, Aboshaiqah, & Baker, 2018). Each of these work-related stresses has been noticeable throughout the entire unit.
The healthcare system has responded to the current healthcare issue/stressor by implementing new infection control protocols. The new protocols include increased hand cleansing stations as well as shutting off visitation privileges to family members. Furthermore, they have designated areas for donning and doffing all PPE. Lastly, the hospital has created three aromatherapy rooms for staff to utilize when feeling overwhelmed. The rooms are filled with soothing sounds and an array of aromas to help with stress management. Aromatherapy may contribute to a healthy work environment and decrease nurse anxiety associated with occupational stress (Donaldson, Ingrao, & Ocampo, 2017) NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor.
References
Alenezi, A. M., Aboshaiqah, A., & Baker, O. (2018). Work‐related stress among nursing staff working in government hospitals and primary health care centres. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 24(5). doi: 10.1111/ijn.12676
Donaldson, J., Ingrao, C., Drake, D., & Ocampo, E. (2017). The Effect of Aromatherapy on Anxiety Experienced by Hospital Nurses. Medsurg Nursing, 26(3).
Vahedian-Azimi, A., Hajiesmaeili, M., Kangasniemi, M., Fornes-Vives, J., Hunsucker, R. L., Rahimibashar, F., … Miller, A. C. (2017). Effects of Stress on Critical Care Nurses: A National Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Intensive Care Medicine, 34(4), 311–322. doi: 10.1177/0885066617696853
responses
When the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020 it seemed like the bottom fell out everywhere (Long, Vo, and Vuong, 2020). If you were like me, you found yourself exhausted and baffled about what was happening around you and quickly realized that the ever-increasing talk about nursing shortages was in fact true. What has happened to the nursing field of health care workers? What once was a traditional life-long career is now seen as an end to a mean- to spend a year or two in a hospital setting for experience and then continue one’s education to be a Nurse Practitioner, or Doctor of Nurse Practitioner, or leave the field all together (Palumbo, Rambur & Hart 2017). NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
In the second largest ICU in Maryland I cannot imagine the impact of patients that came through the ICU and that are still coming into the ICU setting. One must look at what causes the shortage of nurses on a larger scale as well as on a local scale; is management effective at a system or site-specific hospital, how is the direct leadership within that department; are there other hospitals or areas with better pay or benefits, (Pittman, & Russ 2016). NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor In the end I think the larger questions are what factors contribute to the nursing shortage crisis and how can we address these factors?
References
Palumbo, M., Rambur, B., & Hart, V. (2017). Is health care payment reform impacting nurses’ work settings, roles, and education preparation?Journal of Professional Nursing, 33(6), 400-404.doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2016.11.005
Pittman, P., & Scully-Russ, E. (2016). Workforce planning and development in times of delivery system transformation. Human Resources for Health, 14(56), 1-15. Doi:10.1186/s12960- 016-0154-3. Retrieved fromhttps://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/track/ pdf/10.1186/s12960-016-0154-3
Thanh-Long, G., Dinh-Tri Vo., & Quan-Hoang Vuong, (2020). COVID-19: A relook at
Healthcare system and aged populations. Sustainability, 12 (10), 4200.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.gardner-webb,edu/10.3390/su12104200
I agree with your post regarding critical care nursing and the stress and emotional trauma it creates for nurses. This already stressful arena was exacerbated with the COVID-19 pandemic. As you related in your post, nurses were put under significant amount of added stress in addition the stress we already faced on a daily basis. The Quadruple Aim in Healthcare was launched to take care of the provider, well before the COVID-19 pandemic. It was recognized years ago that there was a significant need to take care of the provider. With the additional stress faced by health care workers today, the American Nurses Association (ANA) launched the well-being initiative for nurses to help manage and overcome the stress of COVID-19. It is important that we take care of ourselves and each other. There are many resources available to nurses and healthcare workers to seek help to deal with the trauma and stress that we have been facing. NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
American Nurses Association. (2019, May 19). American Nurses Foundation Launches National Well-being Initiative for Nurses. Retrieved June 4, 2020, from https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2020/american-nurses-foundation-launches-national-well-being-initiative-for-nurses/
Bodenheimer, T., Sinsky, C. (2014). From triple to Quadruple Aim: Care of the patient requires care of the provider. Annuals of Family Medicine, 12(6), 573-576. DOI: 10.1370/afm.171
Discussion: Review of Current Healthcare Issues
If you were to ask 10 people what they believe to be the most significant issue facing healthcare today, you might get 10 different answers. Escalating costs? Regulation? Technology disruption? NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
These and many other topics are worthy of discussion. Not surprisingly, much has been said in the research, within the profession, and in the news about these topics. Whether they are issues of finance, quality, workload, or outcomes, there is no shortage of changes to be addressed.
In this Discussion, you examine a national healthcare issue and consider how that issue may impact your work setting. You also analyze how your organization has responded to this issue.
To Prepare:
Review the Resources and select one current national healthcare issue/stressor to focus on.
Reflect on the current national healthcare issue/stressor you selected and think about how this issue/stressor may be addressed in your work setting. NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a description of the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected for analysis, and explain how the healthcare issue/stressor may impact your work setting. Then, describe how your health system work setting has responded to the healthcare issue/stressor, including a description of what changes may have been implemented. Be specific and provide examples.
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who chose a different national healthcare issue/stressor than you selected. Explain how their chosen national healthcare issue/stressor may also impact your work setting and what (if anything) is being done to address the national healthcare issue/stressor. NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
Response
I could not agree more with you that the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the United States healthcare system to its core. NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor. Everything about healthcare practice has changed and I don’t think there is one healthcare worker in the entire world that could say that it hasn’t affected some part of their practice. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), the death toll in the United States as of this week is 88,243 people (Table 2). We have never seen such great loss in one year with one illness in such a short amount of time. It’s not only the virus itself that is causing stress and early burnout among the healthcare staff, it’s also the overall worry about job security. The American Hospital Association (2020), stated hospitals and health systems all over are facing catastrophic financial challenges in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (para 3). This healthcare crisis has, for better or worse, brought out a side of healthcare that no one could have ever imagined. It sounds like your hospital has a good thing going by providing an area of escape and peace! I am hoping you have been utilizing that resource and that you are staying well and safe while on shift! Thanks for your post, I enjoyed reading it! NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
Resources
American Hospital Association. (2020). Hospital and health systems face unprecedented
financial pressures due to COVID-19. Retrieved June 4, 2020 from
https://www.aha.org/guidesreports/2020-05-05-hospitals-and-health-systems-face-unprecedented-financial-pressures-due
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Daily updates of totals by week and state.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htmRetrieved June 4, 2020 from, NURS 6053 national healthcare issue/stressor
