Self-Reflection Week Five
Based on the readings of this week, what are 3 major issues you are facing in your practice that are consistent with national issues? 1. Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is an issue throughout the United States. Our ED has experienced significant increases in volume. Coupled with the issue of hospital throughput due to lack of inpatient beds, ED congestion is extremely concerning (McClelland, 2015). In addition to affecting patient satisfaction, ED wait times influence patient safety. Extended wait times in the ED are associated with higher morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly (Grafstein et al., 2013). ED throughput is a major issue in my practice.
2. The identification of patients with suicidal ideation is a National Patient Safety Goal recommendation from the Joint Commission (Joint Commission for Accreditation of Hospitals, 2015). Our emergency department (ED) sees a considerable number of patients with psychiatric concerns. The early recognition of suicidal ideation in patients presenting in crisis is compulsory at the initial encounter with the patient. Frequently, the ED is the first opportunity to intervene and assist someone who is considering self-harm. It is essential to provide tools to assist nursing staff in the recognition of suicidal ideation in patients seeking care in the emergency department. 3. Hand hygiene remains a challenging issue in the emergency department (ED). The physicians are the most difficult group to accomplish conformity with hand hygiene requirements. We have instituted hand gel in every conceivable location, however, there continue to be issues with compliance. This is a complex issue and will require multiple approaches to achieve success. However, hand hygiene is a serious safety concern in the ED. What was the most meaningful learning from this week’s assignments and readings? Donald Berwick’s YouTube video was extremely meaningful to me. Why? I have always enjoyed any subject discussed by Dr. Berwick, he is articulate and knowledgeable. Dr. Berwick legitimately illustrates each issue in a manner that forces one to see the seriousness of the problem. Each and every point made by Dr. Berwick contains significance for my personal practice. Any opportunity I have to observe Dr. Berwick speak is meaningful and insightful to me. What were the least meaningful and why? The CMS, JCAHO sites were the least meaningful. I have reviewed these sites …show more content…
I found the concept of complexity science fascinating as well as applicable to my practice. Understanding the theory of complex adaptive systems is key to creating successful strategies for change. Moreover, it is critical to comprehend that an organization is similar to a living being with multiple systems that interact, sometimes imperceptibly if one does not know to look for these interactions. The comprehension of complexity science will absolutely affect my ability to be a transformational leader (Anderson, Crabtree, Steele, & McDaniel, 2005).
The team project was very meaningful to me. I intensely enjoyed interacting with my colleagues. Each person on the team brought their own unique and diverse perspectives to the assignment. Watching the film with the specific goal of observing leadership styles completely altered the way in which I viewed the film. Moreover, the project provided the opportunity to inspect leadership from multiple perspectives. In the movie, there were appointed leaders, and informal leaders, these dynamics are also present in the workplace. Moreover, understanding who the informal leaders are in the emergency department will be essential to successful future endeavors in quality