Module 1
In order of priority, identify which tasks you yourself will undertake and which tasks you will delegate. Document your rationales in detail.
I would first attend to the elderly post-operative female patient that collapsed to the floor and became unconscious. There are two serious incidents that require special care: Mr. Smith’s visitor who has fainted the elderly post-operative patient who also collapsed. However, the context of each of the two incidents is different. Mr. Smith’s visitor came to the hospital for other purposes other than to for medication. Hence, I may not immediately understand the level of seriousness of his situation, despite the fact that he or she would be in a worse condition than previously thought. However, the post-operative patient’s condition is evident. She has just come from having a facial surgery. It, therefore, means that she is in a very delicate condition. Hence, it would make logical and clinical sense to attend to her first before any other task. Her condition is serious and it threatens the well-being of the patient. I would then delegate Mr. Smith’s visitor to the Enrolled Nurse. The Enrolled Nurse has undergone training in the nursing practice, in the quest to get a Diploma award in nursing (Endacott et al., 2017). Despite the fact that she is currently undertaking her IV annulation certification, she has the basics and requisite skills to handle cases such as the attending to someone who has fainted or lost consciousness.
When Mr. Smith’s visitor will be sorted out, I would then turn my attention to the Mrs. Chew’s case. Mrs. Chew is under currently under medication. She is receiving her intravenous infusions. However, her intravenous infusion is not going as planned. Her fluids are running behind, and she has missed her prescribed antibiotic. The other Registered Nurse is currently busy, while the Enrolled Nurse is not yet competent in IV cannulation. Therefore, it would be important for me to attend to Mrs. Chew in the quest to ensure success in the process and avoid further consequences. Next, I would delegate the other three concerns to the Helpant in Nursing together with the ward clerk. First, I would direct the ward clerk to coordinate Mr Esposito to get his cardiac catheterization. Mr Esposito is supposed to leave the ward at the moment to receive his preoperative medication. However, he is yet to receive the required medication. The ward clerk, who performs administrative purposes would best suit the role of coordinating with the cardiac department to identify the existing problem and ensure that Mr Esposito gets the required treatment (Kennedy, 2016). I would then inform the Helpant in Nursing to attend to the issue of the toilet (Karen et al., 2003). The staff toilets have blocked and waste is currently overflowing. Failure to attend to the issue may interfere with the health of the patients, leading to probable infections. Lastly, I would direct the ward clerk to coordinate with the surgical consultant for the way out of the discussion with regard to the medication error that transpired last week.
Module 2
Identify factors that determine which healthcare professionals are required to be involved in a health care team?
It depends on the disease or illness that a person is suffering from. Different health complications call for varying types or forms of medical attention. The more serious a complication or a disease is, the more the healthcare professionals that will be involved in the process. For example, people that suffer from the motor neurone disease may require a healthcare team that may include the doctor, allied health professionals such as the dietitian, psychotherapist, speech pathologist and an occupational therapist among others. Therefore, the health complication that a person is suffering from determines the healthcare professionals that will be required to participate in a health care team. The degree of the disease will also influence the choice of the healthcare professionals. A minor complication might involve few professionals. A more serious stage would, however, call for the introduction of other players.
Who should lead the health care team?
The doctor should lead the healthcare team (Faki et al., 2014). The doctor acts as the general overseer and controller of the patient’s condition. The doctor understands every aspect of the patient’s condition and combines most of the conditions to understand the kind of professional advice or Helpant that the situation will require.
Who is the most important member of the health care team?
The most important member of the health care team is the patient together with their family. The patient is often forgotten in the team. He or she is, however, the central focus of the healthcare team.
Case Study 1
What are the key issues in this dilemma?
First, there is the issue of intensive treatment and recovery of Grant Thompson. Grant Thompson suffered a motor vehicle accident more than six months ago. Since then, he has been recuperating rather slowly than expected. However, he is now able to walk for short distances with the help of a walker. Hence, there is need to ensure the efforts that the medical team has put for over half a year do not go to waste. The treatment is also very intensive, hence the need for close supervision. However, there is also the issue of separation from family and home environment. Thompson has not been with his family for more than six months. Hence, the condition might have played a role in his poor development or recovery.
What outcomes would be best for Grant and his family?
A mixture of the two methods would be best for Grant and his family (Lehman et al., 1981). A combination of the inpatient and outpatient treatment of Grant would work best to ensure a faster recovery while giving him enough time to interact with his family.
How would you guide the group in achieving this best outcome?
Every party in the healthcare team has a point to make. While the physiotherapist and occupational therapist believe that Grant should still remain at the facility, the psychologist together with the social worker argues that Grant should join his family. Hence, I would show an appreciation to each of the professionals while helping understand that each of them is right (Leggat, 2007). I would then bring them to a consensus that will integrate both perspectives. Grant can spend some days at home and then visit the facility during other days of the week. In doing so, Grant would be emotionally attached and satisfied with his family, while at the same time undergoing the recommended treatment at the hospital.
Module 3
What further questions will you need to ask the nurse?
First, I will ask the nurse about the onset period of Mr. Block’s complications (Engberg and Schlenk, 2007). The ED nurse has hinted that Mr Block has seen a 3kg loss of body weight in the past one week, and that he is having abdominal pains. However, it is exactly clear when the complications began. I will also ask matters to do with his body temperature. There could be chances that Mr Block is experiencing fever. The heart rate is also a concern in this scenario. I would further question the ED nurse regarding the breathing rates in the quest to establish the deviation from the standard value. The oxygen levels in Mr Block would also be important in later analysis and diagnosis. Besides, I would inquire any incidents of fatigue in Mr Block’s body, while noting any possible cases of nausea. I would also inquire about the possibility of vomiting cases. Possibilities of whizzing in the patient’s bronchial tubes would also provide important insight into a deeper understanding of the situation. Lastly, I would inquire about the patient’s blood pressure.
List specifically what further assessments you would complete when the patient arrives onto the ward
One of the first assessment that I would execute when the patient arrives onto the ward is to examine his temperature levels together with the heart rate (Scott et al., 2012). The two basic tests will form the basis of executing any other test because its results would provide the direction for further action. The respiratory rate will follow. Here, I will seek to find out whether the patient’s respiratory organ is functioning well. Consequently, I will perform a blood rate assessment (Hill et al., 2009). I would also perform a test to find out the glucose levels. Later, I would take him to the laboratory, where he will get a thorough chest X-ray. Besides, he will also undergo an analysis of the sputum that he emits. The sputum test will surely shed more light into the patient’s situation. I would also perform tests on his urine in the quest to determine anything that is divergent from the normal or standard condition. I would also analyse his faecal wastes. In so doing, the faecal test will offer important insights into his condition. The patient’s general outlook or appearance would also be key. I would assess the patient’s general body structure to establish his general condition. All the above assessments and tests will be the basis of the next phase of medication.
Module 4
Outline how you would allocate the staff to the patients. Include in your discussion your rationale for the model of allocation chosen and the scope of practice of the various staff.
I would use the team nursing model to allocate the staff to the patients (Karolina et al., 2015). Here, I will allocate each of the nurses an equal number of patients. I will be the head nurse or the leader of the other nurses. Each nurse will be responsible for his or her patients, but will coordinate with each other with respect to each other’s area of expertise (Rivas et al., 2010). The afternoon shift has two registered nurses, one Enrolled Nurse together with three Helpants in Nursing. However, the other Registered Nurse is acting as the Nursing Unit Manager. The condition leaves me as the only registered nurse. The Enrolled Nurse has specialized in a certain aspect of the nursing profession. The Helpants in Nursing have also done their area of specialty in the field of nursing. Hence, none of these available nurses has the recommended skills to independently care for a patient effectively and efficiently. However, combining an Enrolled Nurse with an Helpant in Nursing would result in a complete setup (Jones et al., 2010). Hence, the team nursing model will delegate patients to each of the nurses. Now, there are eight patients, with four nurses. Hence, each nurse will get two patients to take care of. However, the nurses will coordinate in such a manner as to ensure that service delivery is complete. For example, the Enrolled Nurse will coordinate with the three Helpants in Nursing to provide his or her expertise and Helpance when needed. The three Helpants in Nursing will also cooperate with the Enrolled Nurse whenever he or she needs any form of Helpance. In so doing, the nurses’ service delivery will not only be complete, but also efficient and effective. My primary role in the process will be to oversee the process while helping correct any gap that may arise in the process.
References
Endacott, R., O’Connor, M., Williams, A., Wood, P., Moss, C., Della, P., Cross, W., McKenna, L. (2017) Roles and functions of Enrolled Nurses in Australia: Perspectives of Enrolled Nurses and Registered Nurses. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 3(2)
Engberg, S., Schlenk, A. E. (2007) Asking the Right Question. Emergency Nurses Association. 33(6)
Faki, O. M., Zamil, A. F., Husseini, M., Babiker, A. (2014) Health care professional development: Working as a team to improve patient care. Sudan Journal of Nurses. 14(2)
Hill, A. T., Chalmers, D. J., Singanayagam, A. (2009) Severity assessment in community-acquired pneumonia: a review. International Journal of Medicine. 102(6)
Jones, S., Fernandez, R., Tran, D. T. (2010) A shared care model vs. a patient allocation model of nursing care delivery: comparing nursing staff satisfaction and stress outcomes. International Journal of Nursing Practice – Centre for Applied Nursing Research. 16(2)
Karen, P., Jill, S., Kathy, M. (2003) The Role of Certified Nursing Helpants in Nursing Homes. Journal of Nursing Administration. 33(11)
Karolina, L., Lesley, L., Allana, K. (2015) Effectiveness of team nursing compared with total patient care on staff wellbeing when organizing nursing work in acute care wards: a systemic review. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. 13(11)
Kennedy, M. (2016) The Importance of a Role-Specific, In-Hospital Ward Clerk Education Program. Journal of Hospital Topics. 94(3-4)
Leggat, G. S. (2007) Effective healthcare teams require effective team members: defining teamwork competencies. MNC Health Services Reserve. 7(17)
Lehman, W. E., Jones, A., Cole, S. G. (1981) Inpatient vs outpatient treatment of alcohol and drug abusers. American Journal of Alcohol Abuse. 8(3)
Rivas, K., Jones, A., Fairbrother, G. (2010) Changing model of nursing care from individual patient allocation to team nursing in the acute inpatient environment. Contemporary Nursing Journal. 35(2)
Scott, A. G. G., Wonodi, C., Mois, C. J., Knoll, M. (2012) The Definition of Pneumonia, the Assessment of Severity, and Clinical Standardization in the Pneumonia Aetiology Research for Child Health Study. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 54(2)
