Satisfaction of Patients Visiting the Oncology Clinic - Assignment Example

The data points needed for the assessment include the number of complaints received from patients in the last year, age and ethnic composition of patients visiting the clinic, number of nurses and physicians assigned to the clinic, and average wait times (Arraras et al., 2014). Other data points include doctor availability, adherence to appointments, tumor location, interpersonal skills of treating physicians, coordination within the clinic environment, and timeliness of care (Mathews, Ryan, & Bulman, 2015).

A needs assessment is important as it enables the identification of the major causes of dissatisfaction with care among the patients visiting the oncology clinic. A needs assessment is also important in identifying the underlying factors that cause dissatisfaction with care and the characteristics of individuals most affected. With this information, it becomes easy for change agents in the oncology clinic to identify and prioritize the various actions that are needed to address the problem of patient dissatisfaction with care (Pennel, McLeroy, Burdine, & Matarrita-Cascante, 2015).

Owing to the systematic collection of information that is associated with the needs assessment process, stakeholders are more likely to develop and implement an effective change management initiative that addresses the needs and wants (gaps) of patients visiting the oncology clinic. Lastly, available literature demonstrates that performing a needs assessment is important in specifying the desired outcome based on the objectives of the change management effort, collecting data to determine the current state of the oncology patients in relation to the desired outcome of increasing patient satisfaction, and formulating needs statements based on the differences between current and desired outcomes (Eifert & Eddy, 2012; Pennel et al., 2015). The first stage in a needs assessment process entails the investigation of what is already known about the needs of the target group with the view to identifying various concerns and determining measurable indicators of the identified needs.

This stage helps in determining the focus and scope of the needs assessment through a consideration of the available data sources and their relation to the target population. The exploration of needs and gaps is important in deciding preliminary priorities and gaining commitment for the remaining stages of the assessment (Eifert & Eddy, 2012). For example, the change agent in the oncology clinic may use available data to determine concerns such as the number of complaints received, the number of available doctors within the clinic, average wait times, and coordination of care.

 The second stage involves gathering data that will assist in defining and prioritizing the needs of the target population. This stage documents the status of the target population by using the concerns and needs identified to compare the current situation with the desired outcome. Here, an analysis of the causes helps to not only determine the magnitude of the problem but also to set the needs statements in a tentative order of priority based on the criticality of the identified needs as well as their underlying causes (Pennel et al., 2015). For example, an analysis of data in the oncology clinic may serve to demonstrate that many patients complain and are unable to honor their appointments due to concerns of doctor availability, lack of effective interpersonal skills among professionals, and lack of proper coordination within the clinic environment.

 The last stage entails coming up with plans that enable the utilization of the information obtained from the needs assessment in a practical way.  Such a plan, according to Eifert and Eddy (2012), should demonstrate the capacity to set priority needs, identify possible solutions, select solution strategies, and propose an active intervention. This stage is commonly seen as the bridge from the needs analysis to quantifiable and measurable action plans as it identifies the best intervention from a number of possible solutions through the acknowledgment of the most critical needs or concerns.

Using the example of the oncology clinic, the change agent may choose to prioritize the training of staff on interpersonal skills to increase patient satisfaction. This prioritization is based on a multiplicity of factors, including the availability of funds to undertake the training. The nurse administrator should be at the forefront in providing strong and visible leadership to team members tasked with the responsibility of undertaking the needs assessment. The nurse administrator is also tasked with designing the deliverables for the needs assessment, including coming up with a framework to identify the needs and determining the indicators that should be used to measure the needs.

 Additionally, the administrator should lead to capacity-building efforts that aim to facilitate evidence-based clinical nurse leadership in dealing with the issues emanating from the needs assessment (Rankin, 2015; Severinsson, 2014). Lastly, the administrator should spearhead all issues related to funding, planning, decision making, and prioritization.