Zanderville Healthcare Systems, a regional acute care facility in the foothills of the Appalachians, is committed to delivering quality healthcare to its local and neighboring communities. The population it serves is diverse by gender and ethnicity. The primary payer for healthcare services is CMS. Over the past six months, the acute care facility has experienced a 25 % increase in readmissions from this payer group within the first 30 days of discharge. The economic impact on the health system ...

This week’s collaboration focuses on two power concepts, personal power base and empowerment, and how they are related. Regardless of the type of formal power a nurse may have, whether a novice or expert in the role of leader, each must develop a personal power base. Part of becoming a transformative leader is learning to empower others which is related to having a personal power base. What is a personal power base, and what is (or has been) your plan for building one? Have you had any e...

Case Scenario Holyfield Healthcare Systems and Jonesville Regional Hospital, each with different organizational structures, are merging. The senior leadership, of which you are a part, must decide on the overarching organizational structure that will be used for the newly formed healthcare system. This will impact the distribution of power, which includes lines of authority, chain of command, and how operations will be carried out. Before the new structure can be adopted, a thorough explorati...

Nurse leaders, whether at the unit or organizational level, play a pivotal role within any given organizational structure in creating a healthy, motivating work environment. These environments are ones that encourage workers to perform their best and continue to develop professionally. The underlying belief about motivation is that the behaviors and actions of individuals are driven by internal and external factors. They possess these in varying degrees and are not the same for everyone. Motivat...

An important element of the delivery of nursing care is the professional practice model (PPM)within which it is framed. These models define the structures and processes within which care is given. It can delineate the degree of autonomy within which nurses can practice that leads to a higher quality of care. While these frameworks are informed by nursing, organizations must support implementing these models. Regardless of the type of facility, the nursing practice should be framed within a sp...

Case Scenario Westbrook is a medium-sized metropolitan area that provides healthcare services to a broad demographic ranging from infants to geriatrics. Existing healthcare delivery systems include a robust acute care regional hospital, community home health/transition agencies, and long-term/skilled nursing facilities. These facilities are maintaining quality patient outcomes at their benchmarks. However, over the past five years, there has been a downward trend in patient and employee satis...

At the most recent senior leadership meeting, you as the chief nursing officer reported a trend toward nursing shortage on several units. The human resources director reported that even with open nursing positions, because of the shortage of nurses available within your recruitment area, there have been very few applying to fill them. The critical care units have experienced the greatest attrition recently and using the primary care nursing care delivery model is becoming difficult to do cons...

Explore the current organizational structure within the facility/agency/system for whom you work (or have previously worked). Examining the organizational chart can give you great insight. Using a Venn diagramLinks to an external site., compare your organizational structure with a different one identified in the readings. Include the organizational theory that best underpins each structure. Be sure the overlapping area contains the commonalities between the two structures. Use the editable te...

Remember your introduction post? You described ways in which you are a leader and manager whether informally or formally. As you reflect on your comments, what have you learned that reinforces, challenges, or changes your perspectives? What areas have you learned you would like to intentionally develop? A goal for most nurse administrators/executives is to transform nursing practice through leadership approaches. Most leaders have the capacity to become transformational in their leadership ap...

Assignment Situation: You are the nurse executive of Ocracoke Regional Healthcare System. Due to increasing healthcare costs over the past two years, the board and stakeholders have determined the total-patient-care nursing model is no longer sustainable and must be changed. In addition, Joint Commission has just completed their visit. Ocracoke received two recommendations for improvement in two of the most current National Patient Safety Goals found at the link below. National Patient Saf...