Models of Care and How Teams and Quality Nursing Care Can Be Impacted - Assignment Example

Models of Care and Impacts on Nursing Care University’s Name Submitted by Names: Tutor: Date: Question 1 Nursing profession is among the professions that the world cannot survive without. The department oversees the health of humanity at all levels around the globe. Medics enjoy a cherished status in the society as many people view these persons as the pillars that support life. The world is evolving, and so are medical practices (Savel & Munro, 2013, p. 282). Technological advancements demands that every industry that aims at scaling higher heights must embrace new ways of operations. Traditional means of healthcare delivery are slowly being abandoned, and health care facilities are embracing new ways of operations that fits the new technological advancements. Technology is not the only force that is driving change in the medic world. Social, environmental and economic forces are also contributors of the changes the world is facing today in healthcare delivery. The larger population in the world currently is characterised by an aging population. The youngest baby boomers are at their sixties now; therefore, advanced health care tactics are necessary to take care of this aging group (Davidson, 2006, p. 48). Age comes along with many health challenges, and old people are more vulnerable to global diseases than the rest of the population. This can be associated with low immunity levels resulting from depletion of white blood cells due to age factor. Conversely, the environments we live in today are highly compromised. In the recent past, people lived in more healthy environments as compared to the current situation. Nature was much respected and conserved especially among African nations as there was some level of divinity attached to the natural environment. Modern religion has wiped out these ideas leaving little protection of the natural environment. The condition of an environment one lives in determines their general level of health. A dirty or neglected natural environment depicts the same condition in health matters (Boult, et al., 2009, p. 2329). In addition, nations are growing economically assisted by the tremendous growth in industrialization. As a result, issues of global warming have become matters of global concerns in the world. Global warming has increased resulting from excessive carbon emissions from industries. Treaties have been formed to curb this situation; some of which require nations to have enough carbon sinks to take care of their carbon emissions. However, threats of chronic diseases continue to be an issue of global concern. All these situations have caused a lot of pressure for health practitioners to change their methods of service delivery in order to take care of the escalating customer needs (Cioffi & Ferguson, 2009, p. 8). Health care systems are always challenged by the emerging situation in health matters as stated above. Some models of care have received a lot of criticism based on their lack of ability to serve humanity extensively, especially the aging group and the rising levels of chronic conditions. Medical institutions use a wide range of models of care interchangeably depending on different situations. Some models can only be applied on a short range and on specific conditions or along with other models where they act as supportive techniques. Scholars have defined models of care differently, In fact, there lacks a universal understanding of the term model of care (Tran et al., 2010, p. 150). However, for this paper, one definition will be adopted for easy understanding. Relating to this ambiguity, Queensland health chose to define a model of care as a multidimensional concept that gives directions on how health care services should be delivered. Later on, some scholars’ defined model of care as a tool of standardization in relation to healthcare operations: a tool that gives demarcations on whom and when certain operations should be carried out (Fairbrother et al., 2010, p. 211). With these ideas, model of care can be said to be a design for a particular health care delivery with defined standards and principles. From this definition, it is clear that models serve a specific purpose and there is no model that is self-actualizing. For effectiveness in the medical world, informed evaluation should be carried out to establish the right model for each situation arising in the health care world. Models are influenced by social, political and economic factors mainly. A good choice of the model is based on evidence, assessment of patients and health providers, involves a multidisciplinary approach and optimises equity of access for all members of community among other factors. Nurses are the people who deal one on one with patients; therefore, are the best people to decide on which changes are appropriate in Medicare service delivery. The idea of individualism is fading away in nursing care unit partly because there are more enrolled nurses than there are registered ones. Nurses are now embracing team-nursing models to deliver services to their clients (Redfern & Briffa, 2011, p. 33). Team nursing models have been credited for assuring patients continued medical support as well as developing responsibility among members of the team. Nurses who engage in team nursing models have been found quite effective in terms of service delivery compared to those who use task allocation tactics. In addition, team nursing models have helped build up strong bonds among team members where information is freely shared among members (McCrae, 2012, p. 228). Less skilled nurses have chances to grow in these teams. An interview conducted on how nurses felt towards the new shift indicated that the most inspiring thing in team nursing was the togetherness, communication and expression of opinions within teams hence resulting to high quality care. Team nursing is a model that came to use around nineteen fifties. The evolvement of this model was geared by criticism against task allocation models that did not seem to address current needs effectively. At this time, many new diseases were affecting people hence making the larger part of the population dependant on Medicare for survival. This called for extra care from the nursing department (Lee et al., 2012, p. 110). The number of patients was increasing yet the number of nurses remained constant. As a result, hospitals and health centres had to come up with a way to cope with the escalating needs. Since then, the model has been put in use in different ways with the key emphasis being to provide total care to a group of patients under the leadership of a team leader. Some critics to this model argue that it does not create such a big difference in customer satisfaction. However, recent research has indicated that, in midwifery, the model has led to increased satisfaction among clients where these patients receive better care after leaving the health care facility. Consequently, team nursing was adopted as the most appropriate model of operation because of the economic situations within the twenty first century. The economy of many nations has suffered in the recent past resulting to a large group of individuals not being able to take care of their health needs (Dubois, et al., 2012, p. 286). The World Health Organization along with other organizations has been working to shape health care units to accommodate this situation. People need to be remaining health regardless of their financial status. In addition, poor people have been found to be more vulnerable to diseases than wealthy individuals. Due to the economic status, governments could not hire enough health practitioners to take care of the citizen hence living this vital task in the hands of private sector, which is rather expensive for an average citizen. Due to the governments’ inability to provide enough nurses, the public hospitals and other public healthcare facilities have suffered lack of enough nurses: a situation that has forced nurses to embrace team-nursing models where a registered nurse acts as a team leader comprising of enrolled nurses and other medical subordinates. This way, the few nurses are able to cater for a larger group of patients more effectively and efficiently (Volland et al., 2013, p. 17). Political instabilities among and within nations is another factor that influenced the use of team nursing models. In cases of political instability, people lose life, and others are badly injured. When all other professions close down during such moments, for nurses it is a different case. This becomes a time when they have to be more effective than any other time to help reduce loss of life resulting from violent activities. In addition, use of team nursing models has been influenced by Orem’s theory. This theory emphasizes on medical service and operation that is patient based. It has been found to work well in solving changing social needs arising from the aging group (Fernandez et al., 2012, p. 330). Other than just receiving the treatments, Orem’s theory argues that patients and especially older people should be educated on diseases affecting them as well as on medication. On most occasions, medics have overlooked this factor with the assumption that all what patients need is treatment, but recent research indicates otherwise. Ill people need more than just physical care; they also require psychological care, discharge planning and supervision while implementing doctors’ orders. More of what other models focus on is just physical attention. Giving clients an outstanding service delivery in health care will not matter a lot if follow up is not done. Team nursing fulfils all the above-mentioned requirements of ill people where they not only solve the problem at hand, but also continues to make sure it does not happen again (Altay & Cavusoglu, 2013,p. 233). Question 2 Nursing skills determine a patient safety while receiving service care, infection rate, as well as mortality rate. The level of competence among nurses within an organization affects patients’ satisfaction. A lot of research has been carried out to determine how this affects performance, and many of the results have indicated that those hospitals that had a high level of registered nurses had better service delivery. A team of nurses in a particular institution is composed of nurses from different levels (Ayre et al., 2007, p. 58). All these people perform vital roles in Medicare service delivery; therefore, their contribution is necessary. People bear the belief that registered nurses do better work than the rest of the nurses. Although this might be true, the roles of enrolled nurses, midwifes and the other subordinate staffs that help in nursing work cannot be disputed. Skill mix can improve or lower level of quality in health care service delivery. For instance, the skills of the team leader are used in a wider range than it would happen if the leader were the one to carry out all the treatments. The team leader gives instructions to the other members who then carry out the procedures as indicated by the leadership. In addition, for a staff mix to serve the community well it is advisable that the organization establish the best kind of mix according to their situation (Yang et al., 2012, p. 231). An ideal workforce mix to deal with people affected by acute diseases might not be ideal for dealing with people in the intensive care unit. Therefore, there is no standard measure of what the mix should contain as it changes with situations. Some health care services require more of non-nursing roles that are better taken care of by health care assistants. On the other hand, people in intensive care unit would require a team with more registered nurses than health care assistants. The main point is that the firm should critically analyse their options to know which kind of workforce mix works better and when. Skill mix can lower quality level and slow down service delivery process where a mix is not well established. The leader of a mix at any time is a registered nurse, but these cannot work alone especially if models like team nursing are in play (Duffield et al, 2012, p. 2245). People are different, and that is a fact every person should appreciate. The differences among humanity make the world a better place to stay. One reality about team working is the existence of conflict that arises either because of varied best ideas or because of one’s failure (Flanagan & Runde, 2008, p. 10). Either way, members of a team should look for ways to turn such conflicts to their advantage. Learning to channel personal differences in the right direction can help a team reach great innovative levels other than plant discord among members. Nurses work in teams all the time even those who have not embraced team nursing. If conflicts are not well managed in these institutions patients suffer and the global health at large. The leader of a team should give every member a chance to express their interests and knowledge freely (Whitworth, 2008, p. 930). On most occasions, conflicts within groups arise if some of the group members feel oppressed or underprivileged. Allowing each member freedom of expression and equitable chances in decision-making is vital in reducing the level of conflict occurrences in a team. In addition, members need to understand that each person in a team has an important role to play in the success of health care delivery. If all members respect each other’s contribution, this can lead to an ideal working environment (Kaitelidou et al., 2012, p. 575). Poor conflict management not only affects the team but the entire firm. A simple mistake in nursing can lead to great dangers or even loss of life. In case of a conflict of interest that causes irresolvable differences within a team, it is advisable that the manager of the organization gets involved or better still dissolves the team and create new ones (Iglesias & Bacerro, 2012, p. 76). Research has indicated that in cases of extreme conflict especially relating to competence people tend to move away from each other, and this bridge can lower the quality of operation in Medicare. People can spend a lot of time in planning how to evade conflict, but the fact is conflict is inevitable in teams; in fact, it is a routine. Avoiding or ignoring conflict is more harmful than dealing with the real thing. Scholars have suggested that for teams to work efficiently, they need to confront, engage and embrace conflict in an informed way. Managing conflict effectively helps nurses grow in leadership skills as well as deliver quality services to their clients who are the patients (Eagar et al, 2010, p. 89). Nursing leaders are individuals who foster health-working environment with a firm. The kind of health care service that is delivered in an organization is entirely dependent on the organizational goals and the nursing leader’s skills of operation. Dictatorship in nursing has resulted in poor service delivery (A-Touby, 2011, p. 106). Nurses are professionals and professionals do not respond to fear. Nursing leaders who portray dictatorship often leads staff to resistance. A research conducted in Singapore indicated that staff exhibited unsupportive, defensive and impatient characteristics resulting from poor leadership styles. In addition, poor leadership and management styles on the part of a nursing leader can lead to excessive costs resulting from absenteeism and poor service delivery (Giltinane, 2013, p. 38). A nursing leader determines how well a team operates and especially in embracing changes and conflict resolution measures. Much of the challenges facing nurses today are arising from the changes of operation in the medical world. The number of patients is rising every day while that of nurses continues to reduce. This situation has led to nurses embracing new roles every day, a situation that can be very devastating if one is not well prepared (Pallas & Hayes, 2008, p. 3340). Therefore, it is the duty of a leader to ensure that the rest of the staff members are well acquainted with the current trends in the field. On the other hand, good leadership and managerial skills leads to improved outcomes in Medicare. Research has indicated that where the nursing leader exhibits excellent skills there is improved employees satisfaction, job retention, career development, learning opportunities, shared goals and high levels of adaptability to change and conflict management. Good nursing leaders are known to take risks on behalf of the rest of the team members; therefore, increasing team members’ enthusiasm towards health care (Glasson et al., 2006, p. 590). Other than personal leadership styles, organizational policies, goals and objectives affect a team’s operation. The medical world is constantly changing with time. Old organizational policies that do not agree with the current trends in nursing can reduce the effectiveness of a team’s operation in service delivery. Some organizational goals and means of operation are too rigid to allow nurses to make the right call in case of an emergency. Such goals and policies affect both patients and team members hence leading to dissatisfaction on both sides. Customer dissatisfaction affects an organizations image extensively. Dissatisfied employees are more costly to maintain not just in nursing but all areas of businesses. On the other hand, flexible organizational policies give team members an easy time in decision-making (Kaufman & MacCaughan, 2013, p. 111). Teams cannot operate effectively without making informed decisions, therefore, it is necessary for the organization to revise their goals and policies and give teams a chance to make decisions on matters that affect them on the real ground. Today, the success of any business is dependent on resource allocation. In nursing, human resources carry the same importance as financial allocation. One cannot operate in the absence of the other. To manage and maintain human resources, an organization needs to have enough financial power (Fagerstrom, 2009, p. 420). On the other hand, human resources manage the financial assets of a firm to ensure patients receive the best quality of health care. For teams to operate effectively, they need to be serviced with the right resources both financial and human. If a team does not have the ideal nursing mix for its operation, then quality in health care delivery is compromised. In addition, if a team does not have enough financial allocation it becomes challenging for the group to discharge its duties. Therefore, it is vital for teams to be well catered for in terms of resource allocation (Tomey, 2009, p. 19). In conclusion, nursing world and the entire medical world is shifting. This change of events has been attributed to social, economic, environmental and political changes (Hofmeyer, 2013, p. 783). Taking care of the aging group is a situation that health care facilities were not prepared for, and as this number continues to rise, nurses are forced to move with the wave. In addition, technological advancements have brought about new ideas, which medics are embracing to achieve their main goal of quality service delivery to all humanity. 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