NR 532 Week 3 Assignment: Strategic Planning Paper

Category: NR 532 Healthcare Operational Planning and Management

NR 532 Week 3 Assignment

Scenario:

Sunset Harbor Medical Center is a nonprofit regional healthcare system that provides hospital care for a five-county rural area. Its vision and mission are:

Vision:

 Sunset Harbor Medical Center envisions a community in which all its citizens live healthy lives to their optimal level of well-being across the lifespan. We work in partnership with our valued patients as creators of a healthy and thriving community.

Mission:

To provide comprehensive, quality, and safe healthcare to the citizens of the Gulf coast region through collaborative and evidence-based best practices, and innovative modalities of care. We are committed to making your healthcare experience extraordinary from your point of first contact to beyond discharge.

The recent global healthcare crisis created an enormous strain on hospital nurse staffing across the country. The nursing shortage that began with the crisis has progressed over the past twelve months. Sunset Harbor used agency nurses during the height of the crisis but now it has reached a critical point and the hospital is facing the possibility of unit closures. The following conditions now exist at Sunset Harbor.

1. Retention rates have decreased by 15% from 70% to 55%: In addition to some nurses taking early retirement, others are leaving due to poor patient staff ratios and unsafe working
2. Recruitment pool has diminished by 40% from 60 to 24 people: Inability to recruit newly graduated or experienced nurses due to short supply of qualified applicants.
3. New market competition: A state of the art healthcare facility opened recently within 50 miles of Sunset Harbor offering sign-on bonuses and certification training for nurses desiring to specialize in certain clinical

As the Chief Nursing Officer, you know that these contributing factors for the nursing shortage are integral to one another and that addressing one could have a positive collateral effect on the others. You also know that the response to an intervention may take some time due to the pervasiveness of the nursing shortages across the area.

For this assignment, however, you will select one of the above factors contributing to the nursing shortage at Sunset Harbor and create a strategic plan aligned with the vision and mission of the medical center to address it. Your strategic plan will include all phases of the process and all the elements outlined under the Requirements section. For areas of the assignment needing data, such as the SWOT analysis, use your own facility’s location for context and data gathering.

SOLUTION: NR 532 Week 3 Assignment: Strategic Planning Paper

Introduction

Sunset Harbor Medical Center, a nonprofit regional healthcare system, has long been committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive, and safe healthcare services to the citizens of the Gulf Coast region. However, the recent global healthcare crisis has significantly exacerbated the ongoing nursing shortage, pushing the hospital to the brink of unit closures. As the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), it is crucial to develop a strategic plan that aligns with the organization’s mission and vision to address one of the contributing factors to this shortage. This paper will focus on the strategic plan to improve nurse retention rates, which have declined from 70% to 55%, contributing to the current staffing crisis.

Sunset Harbor Medical Center: Mission and Vision

Vision:Sunset Harbor Medical Center envisions a community in which all its citizens live healthy lives to their optimal level of well-being across the lifespan. We work in partnership with our valued patients as creators of a healthy and thriving community.

Mission:To provide comprehensive, quality, and safe healthcare to the citizens of the Gulf Coast region through collaborative and evidence-based best practices, and innovative modalities of care. We are committed to making your healthcare experience extraordinary from your point of first contact to beyond discharge.

Selection of Factor: Nurse Retention

Improving nurse retention is a strategic focus that directly aligns with Sunset Harbor’s mission of providing quality and safe healthcare. High nurse turnover not only affects the hospital’s ability to deliver consistent patient care but also increases operational costs and impacts staff morale. By addressing the factors that contribute to nurse dissatisfaction and turnover, the hospital can stabilize its workforce, improve patient care quality, and support the overall mission of the organization.

Strategic Planning Process

The strategic planning process for improving nurse retention at Sunset Harbor Medical Center involves several key phases, including environmental scanning, setting strategic goals, developing action plans, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.

1. Environmental Scanning

SWOT Analysis:

• Strengths:
  • Strong commitment to quality patient care.
  • Established reputation in the community.
  • Supportive leadership team.
• Weaknesses:
  • Declining nurse retention rates.
  • Insufficient support for professional development.
  • Limited resources for competitive compensation.
• Opportunities:
  • Ability to offer specialized training and certification programs.
  • Potential to enhance nurse engagement through improved work-life balance initiatives.
  • Collaboration with local nursing schools for targeted recruitment.
• Threats:
  • New market competition from a nearby state-of-the-art healthcare facility.
  • Ongoing regional and national nursing shortages.
  • Potential further decline in patient care quality due to understaffing.

2. Setting Strategic Goals

The primary goal is to increase nurse retention rates from 55% back to at least 70% within the next 18 months. This goal supports the hospital’s mission by ensuring that there is a stable and experienced nursing workforce capable of delivering high-quality and safe care to patients.

3. Developing Action Plans

Initiatives:

• Enhance Professional Development Opportunities:
  • Introduce certification programs and continuing education opportunities to help nurses advance their careers and specialize in areas of interest.
  • Establish a mentorship program to support new nurses and reduce the transition-to-practice stress.
• Improve Work-Life Balance:
  • Implement flexible scheduling options to accommodate the personal and professional needs of nurses.
  • Increase access to wellness programs, including stress management and mental health resources, to reduce burnout.
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits:
  • Conduct a market analysis to ensure that salaries and benefits are competitive with other regional healthcare facilities.
  • Introduce retention bonuses for long-term employees and performance-based incentives to reward high-performing staff.

4. Implementation

The strategic plan will be implemented in phases, with immediate focus on improving professional development opportunities and work-life balance. A task force, including representatives from nursing leadership, human resources, and nursing staff, will be established to oversee the implementation process. Communication with the nursing staff will be key, ensuring that they are aware of the changes and have opportunities to provide feedback throughout the implementation.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

To ensure the effectiveness of the strategic plan, regular monitoring and evaluation will be conducted. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as retention rates, nurse satisfaction scores, and patient care quality metrics will be tracked monthly. Surveys and focus groups will also be used to gather qualitative data from nursing staff about the impact of the changes. Based on these evaluations, adjustments will be made to the strategic plan as necessary to achieve the desired outcomes.

Alignment with Mission and Vision

The strategic plan to improve nurse retention directly aligns with Sunset Harbor Medical Center’s mission and vision. By focusing on retaining a skilled and motivated nursing workforce, the hospital ensures that it can continue to provide comprehensive, quality, and safe healthcare services to the community. Additionally, by investing in the professional development and well-being of its nurses, Sunset Harbor fosters a thriving community where healthcare providers and patients alike can achieve their optimal level of well-being.

Conclusion

Addressing the nursing shortage at Sunset Harbor Medical Center through a strategic plan focused on improving nurse retention is crucial for the organization’s ability to deliver on its mission and vision. By enhancing professional development, improving work-life balance, and offering competitive compensation, the hospital can create a positive work environment that supports the retention of skilled nurses. This, in turn, will ensure the delivery of high-quality patient care, improve operational efficiency, and maintain the hospital’s reputation as a leader in healthcare in the Gulf Coast region. Regular monitoring and evaluation will be essential to the success of this strategic initiative, ensuring that the hospital can adapt to ongoing challenges and continue to thrive in a competitive healthcare environment.