Strategic Planning

Labor in healthcare organizations is a critical aspect that affects the operational dimensions of such organizations as explained by Omachonu and Einspruch (2010). Collins and Collins (2007) further the discussion by explaining that the intensification of labor shortages among other factors are crucial strategic initiatives that demand rigorous consideration bearing in mind that health care is in the service industry. As such, a nurse executive faced with the serious challenge of staff shortage in the ICU ward is required to work overtime to resolve the problem. This paper is a strategic plan that details how the shortage will be addressed by identification of priorities and different considerations to be put in place to ensure that the positions are adequately and satisfactorily filled.

To execute the strategic planning function, the assistance of the Head Nurse in the ICU, the operations manager, and one executive member is needed. The Head Nurse of the ICU will be pivotal in providing the specific needs in the department and the kind of specific assistance that is needed. Further, the Head Nurse will provide sufficient details such as the succession plan in the department. The Operations Manager, according to TopResume (2018) will guide the financial aspects of the plan as well as business negotiation skills, which might come in handy when sourcing for staff. An executive member is necessary to institute control of the plan. A representative of the executive will establish operational and budgetary limits and social controls to ensure that the project is executed within the expectations of the stockholders.

After interviewing the Head Nurse in the ICU, it became apparent that the position she holds is very crucial to relatives, the society, and friends of the most helpless patients. As explored by Moghaddasian, Dizaji, and Mahmoudi (2013), nurses in the ICU need to be empathetic to their patients and more so to the patient’s family and this can only be maintained using empathy skills, especially communication. The ICU is a facility kept aside for utilization by the most unstable patients. In light of this, Papathanassoglou et al. (2012) explain that a nurse should be professionally autonomous but at the same time uphold professional interactions among his/her team members to ensure that patients receive sufficient professional care that their lives depend on.

SWOT Analysis of the Organization

Strengths	Weaknesses
Good rapport with the societyWell placed hospital brand nameGreat investments in ultra-modern equipmentHigh-quality services	Failure to meet community demands High turnover levels of nurses in high-pressure departments
Opportunities	Threats
Increasing chances of insured patients (Medicaid and Medicare) as well as privately insured patients A large pool of qualified professionals from different training centersIncreasing number of immigrant nurses lowers the organization’s expendituresExisting chances of often upgrading technology to serve patients better.	Increased consumer awarenessHigh potential for bad news about mishaps in the hospital spreading fast due to social mediaThe occurrence of new technology before the existing investment is recouped. Increased competition from other actors in the industryHigh mobility of patients might leave a hospital without patients

Based on the SWOT analysis conducted above, the issue of nurses’ turnover and high levels of competition from other hospitals in the vicinity can be expressed as areas of priority in the hospital. The Person-Centered Framework as McCormack and McCance (2017) elaborate, can be applied in this case to ensure that the hospital remains a going concern while at the same time trying to develop a good rapport with the immediate community and the internal staff; through the leadership perspective.

Leadership, in this case, can be provided using an array of methods. First, leadership can be provided through placing more emphasis towards compassion care, instead of business delivery targets. This concept can work for instance, in the pursuit of profits. The organization should pursue modest profits sufficient to keep it running while at the same time, attracting a wide array of partners and stakeholders. Using this leadership approach, the organization can afford to deliver better services by employing more nurses and remunerating the current nurses more generously to ensure that they are sufficiently motivated.

The second leadership attribute that the organization should use is the concept of a central focus on public engagement in health and social care services to develop services that are responsive to individual needs. This element draws the public towards the organization to ensure that it does not drift away towards competition as explained by Mitchell  (2015). Leadership in this area can be provided by designing corporate social responsibilities, which are engineered to help the public, but at the same time benefit the organization. From the same perspective, the organization can have sessions to creatively shop for prospective candidates who are a fit for the organization.

In conclusion, an organization cannot develop without the help of its employees. As such, there should be sufficient means to ensure that there is a significant reference to employees. This will ensure that they deliver their best and remain loyal to the organization. However, this cannot be achieved in the absence of leadership. This paper has examined how leadership can be provided to help stakeholders view the organization from the perspective of helping those in need rather than focusing on the income statement. Moreover, developing services that are responsive to individual needs has been demonstrated as a means sufficient to entice the public to pursue services from this organization.

References

Collins, S. K., & Collins, K. S. (2007). Succession planning and leadership development: critical business strategies for healthcare organizations. Radiology management, 29(1), 16-21.

Moghaddasian, S., Dizaji, S. L., & Mahmoudi, M. (2013). Nurses empathy and family needs in the intensive care units. Journal of caring sciences, 2(3), 197-201.

Omachonu, V. K., & Einspruch, N. G. (2010). Innovation in healthcare delivery systems: a conceptual framework. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, 15(1), 1-20.

Papathanassoglou, E. D., Karanikola, M. N., Kalafati, M., Giannakopoulou, M., Lemonidou, C., & Albarran, J. W. (2012). Professional autonomy, collaboration with physicians, and moral distress among European intensive care nurses. American Journal of Critical Care, 21(2), e41-e52.

McCance, T., & McCormack, B. (2017). Person-centered practice in nursing and health care: Theory and practice. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Mitchell, G. (2015). Person-centered Care. BMJ Blogs. Retrieved from https://blogs.bmj.com/ebn/2015/11/16/person-centred-care/

TopResume. (2018). Operations Manager Top Needed Skills. Retrieved from https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/operations-manager-top-needed-skills