Floating Improvement Program

Floating Improvement Program

In this assignment, you will propose a quality improvement initiative from your place of employment that could easily be implemented if approved. Assume you are presenting this program to the board for approval of funding. Write an executive summary (750-1,000 words) to present to the board, from which the board will make its decision to fund your program or project. Include the following:

1. The purpose of the quality improvement initiative.
2. The target population or audience.
3. The benefits of the quality improvement initiative.
4. The interprofessional collaboration that would be required to implement the quality improvement initiative.
5. The cost or budget justification.
6. The basis upon which the quality improvement initiative will be evaluated.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful

I wanted it to be written over nurses floating to other units and them getting properly trained. I work on a mom/baby unit

nurses get stressed from floating to other units

SAMPLE ANSWER

Floating Improvement Program

Introduction

Quality health improvement programs are proven ways health organizations can deploy to meet the competitive demands of patient protection frameworks such as Medicare. The need for efficient supply chain processes that improve patient outcomes as well as limiting treatment costs imply strategic alternatives to traditional healthcare delivery. This essay discusses alternative approaches to nurse floating; outlining improvement approaches aimed at benefiting both the nurses, patients and the health organization. Also discussed is the required interprofessional collaboration, budget justification and the basis for evaluation.

Floating Improvement Program

Program’s Purpose and Target Population

Floating of nurses across different units in my health organization has proved a key challenge for most of the nursing staff. Moving these caregivers from their units of specialization to provide services in unfamiliar units presents most health workers with different concerns that range from anxiety and uncertainty to severe challenges such as inability to provide timely and adequate care (Trossman, 2014). This indeed compromises the overall quality of health outcomes thereby necessitating floating interventions that relieve nurses of the pressure as well as providing patients with quality care.

Adopting a Nursing Float Development Program admits that nursing shortages are a reality in most care units and that effectively managing floating allows deprived units the benefit of additional nurses from different units during their time of need (Larson, Sendelbach, Missal, Fliss, & Gaillard, 2012). The knowledge gap seen in nurses working in new environments will be addressed by developing a skills acquisition program that aims at training nurses in common skill sets. This directly boosts the confidence of float nurses away from their professional units (Trossman, 2014). Pediatric and cardiac nurses, for example, will receive training in emergency care resulting in quality emergency outcomes. This approach will be adopted for individual or groups of nursing units on a voluntary basis allowing nurses to train in skill sets of their preferences. This approach assures better nurse participation in floating programs.

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Establishing a dedicated pool of floating nurses will also be mandated under the nursing quality improvement program. This initiative will require the health organization to hire additional nursing personnel who will be imbued with the scarce nursing resources within the facility such as cardiac and emergency care skills. Having no home unit implies that this pool of caregivers will be easily programed to meet the day to day care requirements in most of the units. Ensuring that highly qualified and skilled nurses form this pool promises efficient services even in highly technical circumstances.

Developing a comprehensive floating resource plan will equally contribute to the efforts of addressing floating challenges. The resource plan primarily equips the float nurse with the unit’s information including team contact addresses, documentation protocols, safety procedures, and shift routines (Larson et al., 2012). Adequate training in some of these standard procedures ensures that floating nurses integrate positively with the unit nurses for improved health delivery and patient satisfaction.

Program Benefits and Interprofessional Collaboration

A major influence of the program is to relieve nurses of the tension and uncertainty they face whenever they encounter circumstances that significantly differ from their accustomed work stations (Trossman, 2014). This effort acknowledges that employee satisfaction is a major contributor to positive health outcomes. The Nursing Float Development Program achieves these aims by ensuring float nurses are well adapted to different units to help address the chronic challenge of nursing shortages. Reducing the stress and anxiety faced by float nurses by implementing and developing various resources that direct nurses in new environments ensures that float nurses are more confident of their skills and the resources at their disposal. This is a clear way of boosting their efficiency and responsiveness in unfamiliar units (Trossman, 2014).

Developing nursing competencies by addressing their knowledge gaps in different skill sets enhances their relevance in the healthcare setting. Being able to adequately provide services in more than a single specialist unit increases the demand of the individual nurse opening them up for better opportunities in their practice. Another significant benefit of the improvement program that contributes to a vibrant workforce is the program’s capacity to limit involuntary floating which acts as a key source of nurse’s dissatisfaction (Larson et al., 2012). Investing in a dedicated floating pool implies that floating needs are handled with a predetermined regularity which eliminates the uncertainty faced by both armature and experienced nurses.

Nursing Paper Help

All efforts towards improving the nursing experience during floating are a major contributor of lower turnovers since this lessens the burden faced by the nurses as well as creating enabling environments that ensure patients obtain the highest quality care (Trossman, 2014). Effectively covering the patient needs is a quality outcome that the improvement program is determined to achieve.

Interproffesional collaboration on the other hand admits that the nursing environment is a sophisticated area and that collaboration from other health professionals is pivotal for a sustainable healthcare system. Effective development and implementation of the floating program will involve the contribution of practically all nursing units within my care facility. Nursing teachers also play an essential role in the training of float nurses. Ensuring that float nurses are well versed in different skill sets required in the hospital’s health units signifies the role of interprofessional collaboration. Physicians working throughout the organization should also be aware of the presence of float nurses in their work stations and provide the adequate support needed for smooth operations. Technicians in all units also provide essential collaborative support by equipping float nurses with the technical knowhow required to operate equipment of different orientations.

Budget Justification and Evaluation Metrics

             A significant amount of the program budget will go towards the training of nurses in the organization and developing a float pool. Training programs will involve each nurse picking at least one unit which they would be confortable to serve as a float. The training aims to equip about 220 nurses, in the process incurring about $950,000. This amount will cater for all training needs including the allowances for the nurses. Another $1,200,000 will be utilized to establish a dedicated float pool of highly skilled nurses. 40 specialist nurses are to be hired to serve in this capacity.

Predominant evaluation parameters will include patient satisfaction scores, turnover rates, and the costs of care. Patient satisfaction is a key determinant of the program’s success enabling the organization to see its impact on patient welfare. A reduction in nurse turnover rates will demonstrate the impact of the program in improving the working conditions of the float nurses. The costs of administering basic healthcare should also be minimized through increased efficiency of service delivery. This makes the cost of healthcare after the program an important evaluation parameter.

Conclusion

The shortage of nurses in healthcare provision presents health organizations with a unique challenge. Floating is one strategy that institutions can adopt with increased chances to better patient outcomes and minimize instances of nurse turnovers. The Nursing Float Development Program aims to equip nurses with essential skills in several health units to increase their effectiveness in new care environments. Establishing a float pool of specialized nurses is an initiative that seeks to mitigate the consistent shortage of nurses throughout the different units of care in my health organization.

References

Larson, N., Sendelbach, S., Missal, B., Fliss, J., & Gaillard P. (2012). Staffing patterns of scheduled unit staff nurses vs. float pool nurses: A pilot study. Medsurg Nurs, 21(1), 27-39.

Trossman, S. (2014). On less familiar ground: Strategies aim to reduce random floating, improve the experience. Am Nurse, 46(1), 7. Retrieved from www.theamericannurse.org.

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