NURS 6052 Week 9 Assignment Work Environment Assessment Template

NURS 6052 Week 9 Assignment Work Environment Assessment Template

NURS 6052 Week 9 Assignment Work Environment Assessment Template

Work Environment Assessment Template

Summary of Results – Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory The workplace environmental assessment using Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory showed that my organization scored 78. This score implied that the organization is mildly healthy. The scores also implied that the existing organizational structures and environment do not support most of the interventions that promote quality, safety and excellence.
Identify two things that surprised you about the results. Also identify one idea that you believed prior to conducting the Assessment that was confirmed. The workplace environmental assessment identified a number of things that surprised me about our organization. One of the things that surprised me was the fact that the employees in the organization reported the lack of transparent, direct and respectful communication in all the levels of the organization. is a vital tool that enables the organizational stakeholders to undertake their tasks effectively and efficiently. Open communication is important to ensure that the employees express their needs, values and concerns to the management and leadership on the ways in which things should be undertaken in the organization. is also important as it facilitates trust between the different organizational stakeholders. Organizations that practice open communication have a highly motivated workforce since the needs of the employees and other stakeholders are addressed in a timely manner (Grossman & Valiga, 2020). I was surprised by the fact that the employees expressed the lack of transparent, respectful and direct communication in the organization yet they have not engaged in any activity to address the issue. Often, the employees in the organization appear satisfied with the manner in which tasks are undertaken. However, they have not been given an opportunity to express their needs, hence, their assertion of the lack of direct, transparent and respectful communication in the organization.

The second thin that surprised me in the workplace environmental assessment was the finding that the employees in the organization reported that the statement that they had a high level of satisfaction, engagement and moral was somewhat untrue. The success of any organization depends largely on the level of morale, satisfaction and engagement in an organization. Employees that have a high rate of satisfaction, morale and engagement are innovative in their practice. The employees play a proactive role in the identification of the ways in which organizational success can be achieved with minimal use of the existing resources (Weiss et al., 2019). The above finding in the assessment was surprising because the management and leadership are not aware of the low level of engagement, satisfaction and moral among its employees. The rate of staff turnover is also low. Therefore, it raised the need for the adoption of responsive interventions to address these issues in the organization.

One of the things that I believed prior to conducting the assessment that was confirmed is the fact that the organization places minimal emphasis on addressing the needs of its staffs. The believe was confirmed since the assessment results showed the lack of transparent, direct and respectful communication, poorly satisfied staffs and the lack of mentoring programs for all the employees. The employees had neutral feelings on the statement that there is comprehensive mentoring program for all employees.
What do the results of the Assessment suggest about the health and civility of your workplace? As noted above, the results I have been able to deduce from the assessment suggest that there is always room for improvement and amendment in a work environment. This fosters efficiency in the provision of optimum patient care outcomes. My organization scored a total of 78 based on the criteria provided in this workplace assessment tool. This score places my organization in a moderately health and civil state. It also connotes that the Clark Workplace Inventory scores suggest that my organization requires better and more efficient communication skills among employee, which in turn brings about trust and transparency. The estimate goal is to stir up changes that will; facilitate an increased level of ethical and moral civility for a safe and more healthy workplace environment.  The leaders and staff in management positions pale a fundamental role in ensuring that this change is enforced and continuous, as they represent the organization in its entirety and what it essentially stands for in our community. The principle of informational leadership and the ideology  it represents of making sure there is a collaboration between staff and leaders in the work-pace. This creates an atmosphere of openness and genuineness which is essential for growth and positive.if there is an indication of  weaknesses in the leadership and manager department of any organization, it hinders opportunities for staff  to promote their personal and professional growth. This in-turn leads to increased turnover rates among staff, and  decrease levels of patient care satisfaction. The management and leadership of such organization must implore all avenues needed to  restructure current and existing processes. The other implication of the score is that the organizational culture does not support in entirety quality, safety and excellence. The score also has implications on the civility of our workplace. The score implies that the organization has weak support for behaviors that promote mutual respect and preservation of norms, values and practices for excellence.
Briefly describe the theory or concept presented in the article(s) you selected.

Explain how the theory or concept presented in the article(s) relates to the results of your Work Environment Assessment.

 The selected concept from the selected article is effective communication. According to the authors of the article, incivility in nursing arises from the lack of effective communication between nurses and other healthcare providers (Clark et al., 2011). Lack of effective communication results in poor understanding of the needs of the other stakeholders in an organization. Poor communication also leads to lack of self-expression among the nurses and other healthcare providers, hence, stress and adoption of behaviors that contribute to incivility. The concept of effective communication relates to the results of the work environment assessment in a number of ways. Firstly, lack of effective communication between the employees, management and leaders contributed to the low score in the assessment (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). The lack of effective communication also led to the employees expressing neutral to somewhat true scores in the different categories of assessment tool. The lack of effective communication can also be seen in the low morale, engagement and satisfaction among the employees in the organization. Consequently, it can be concluded that effective communication is a critical predictor of organizational performance and success alongside a determinant of employee behavior.
Explain how your organization could apply the theory highlighted in your selected article(s) to improve organizational health and/or create stronger work teams. Be specific and provide examples. My organization can apply the use of effective communication to improve organizational health and create stronger work teams in a number of ways. Firstly, the organization could promote open, transparent and respectful communication between the staffs, managers and leaders. The communication should be characterized by openness. Employees should be encouraged to express their views, concerns and recommendations on the ways in which performance can be improved in the organization (Alvinius, 2017). The second way in which effective communication can be applied in the organization is involving the staffs in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of the organizational strategies. The organization should incorporate the feedback of the employees in the development, implementation and evaluation of the strategies (Clark et al., 2011). The third way in which the effective communication can be applied in the organization is encouraging teamwork. The employees should be encouraged to work in teams as a way of achieving the set organizational goals and objectives (Jule, 2019). Through these interventions, the desired organizational culture that promotes civility and organizational health will be created in the organization.
References References

 

                                                              References

Alvinius, A. (2017). Contemporary Leadership Challenges. BoD – Books on Demand.

Clark, C. M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18-23. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf

Clark, C. M., Olender, L., Cardoni, C., & Kenski, D. (2011). Fostering civility in nursing education and practice: nurse leader perspectives. The Journal Of Nursing Administration, 41(7–8), 324–330. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1097/NNA.0b013e31822509c4

Murray, A. (2018). Helping the Healers: Identifying and Halting Lateral Violence in Nursing. Kentucky Nurse, 66(2), 11–13. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=128716069&site=eds-live&scope=site

Griffin, M., & Clark, C. M. (2014). Revisiting cognitive rehearsal as an intervention against incivility and lateral violence in nursing: 10 years later. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 45(12), 535–542. doi:10.3928/00220124-20141122-02

Grossman, S. C., & Valiga, T. M. (2020). The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing. F.A. Davis.

Hassmiller, S. B., & Pulcini, J. (2020). Advanced Practice Nursing Leadership: A Global Perspective. Springer Nature.

Jule, J. (2019). Nursing Leadership Beyond 2020: A Succession Plan. University of San Francisco.

Weiss, S. A., Tappen, R. M., & Grimley, K. (2019). Essentials of Nursing Leadership & Management. F.A. Davis.

NURS 6052 Week 9 Assignment Work Environment Assessment Template

Introduction

As a professional nurse, I have come to discover that my workplace environment comprises of various factors that have a significant impact on my everyday performance and functionality. These factors are the nature of the  physical environment, the cultural representation of the organization and most importantly the working conditions of staff. The negative acts of incivility among employees, bullying in the workplace and violence in a professional setting are some of  the most problematic behaviors health-care organizations in all settings are faced with. Such intentional and deliberate behaviors being exhibited by individuals are intended to  harm, humiliate, offend, and cause distress to others members of the organization (ANA, n.d.). The detrimental outcomes of incivility in the workplace cause lower job satisfaction rates, psychological trauma, which eventual leads to a downturn in physical health (ANA, n.d.). The harmful consequences of incivility affects an organization entirely, especially  incivility within the nursing profession, which ultimately leads to a decrease in patient care safety and satisfaction, as thee well being of the patients are at risk (Griffin, & Clark, 2014).  The Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory Assessment tool has enabled me to determine how health my work place environment currently is, by the use of evidence based practices, as well as explore other means of strengthen my workplace environment and the organization as a whole.

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Part I: Work Environment Assessment

When I partook in the Clark (2015) assessment  tool, which is an evidence-based assessment tool aimed at calculating the health of an individual’s workplace as it evaluates the subjective scores of 20 statements refereed to as The Clark Healthy Workplace inventory, I was quite intrigued by the results as I ended up with an aggregated total score of 78. This suggest that my organization could be identified as a moderately healthy and civil workplace environment. Further interpretation of the score implies that the workforce is highly dedicated to achieving the success of the organization (Henry et al., 2020). The cultural framework of the organization is also favorable, as it concerned with both the actual and potential needs of the organizational stakeholders, which comprises of the employees and patients. My organization based on the assessment evaluation, aims at addressing and supporting the realization of all staff members personal and professional needs. Although this result wasn’t satisfactory in my opinion as I personally strive for excellence and distinction at all times. It is quite obvious that there is great room for improvement which must be a collective effort between those in the organization itself and staff members to foster change withing the workplace. The organization in itself is responsible for the development of civility in the work place environment by maintaining a culture that incorporates mutual respect among all employees and exceptional role models from those in the leadership roles and positions that would lead by example at all times. These principle have to be collaborative and there must be consistency in the practices in order to foster significant change in the workplace.  As nurses, we are opportune to have several potential means to aid in the improvement of our personal health, those of our patients and essentially our colleagues as we engage in a healthy work environment (American Nurses Association, n.d).  According to Wei et al (2018) a prime nurse work environment that is considered to be healthy must advocate for safety, satisfaction and empowerment to all staff members respectively.

Part II: Reviewing the Literature

My primary objective for this literature review will be my focus on one of the theoretical concept models by Clark and Olender (2011) that addresses strategies on improving healthy workplace environments and civility among team members and leaders alike. There must be constant and sustainable educational training for all employees aimed building healthy work relationships, and developing effective therapeutic communication skills within the work setting. It is imperative that there are standards in place that reflect civility beyond the avoidance of personal conflict. Encouraging civility is quite instrumental in conceptualizing team building efforts, thus facilitates the development of  a professional environment  of cultural respect and well meaning engagements.  It is important that all organizations implement strategies that focus on educating and orientating employees in well-being programs  that are geared towards respectful attitudes and  characters for effective organizational outcomes as this is empowering to all employees. Clark et al., 2011, suggests the Conceptual Model for Fostering Civility in Nursing Education and Practice, which highlights the benefits of modeling constructive communication technique. When there is zero tolerance for incivility, and it is addressed immediately, the prevalence of incidences are greatly reduced, which will positively influence the positive culture and raise awareness of civility. Establishing the principles and formulating ways of fostering civility in nursing practice and nursing education, is fundamental to the profession, We are able to analyse the dynamics of the conceptual framework which involves various stressors within the practice of  nursing practice, and education. Factors such as insufficient knowledge/skills, overload in technological mediums,taking up multiple unnecessary roles, an overload of patient care responsibilities and tasks, and ineffective interpersonal work relationships. Our leaders and managers in clinical settings greatly influence these stressors within our daily practices. There are 4 major open-ended questions that  Clark and Olender (2011) have developed for nurses in leadership roles and positions that are thought provoking with respect to formulating ways to build civility within nursing education and practice. The two most significant questions that would be relatable to my workplace environment were “what are the most effective strategies for fostering civility in the practice setting” and “how can nursing education and practice work together to foster civility in the practice setting?” Since these questions are all open-ended, different themes within an answer could help classify the essence of their answers.

For the question “how can nursing education and practice work together to foster civility in the practice setting,” communication will be the key indicator in measuring civility. Reflecting back on the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory, the statement that I had scored a particularly neutral score regarding a mentoring program for employees may benefit from this. Ongoing clinical education and a structure mentoring program may help nurses become prepared and allow for positive behaviors (Clark, 2011).

Nurse executives and nurse managers have unanimously concluded that policies and a shared vision of a culture of civility may foster civility within a nursing practice setting (Clark, 2011). It is important to have concrete solutions to different areas of concerns and policies that reflect on these specific actions. As I had mentioned in my Work Environment Assessment, the organization that I work with is still currently new. There are some policies and procedures that are not structured or created, but I do have high hopes and expectations for successful progressions within the next few months. Despite the organization still in the initial stages of development of policies, protocols, and workflows, individuals in leadership and management continuously encourage their employees to participate in engagement of growth within the organization.

Part III: Evidence-Based Strategies

The American Nurses Association (ANA, 2015) suggests that as professional nurses we must be reflective of our interactions with others and purse programs that will continue to equip us educationally, as well as professionally, to foster healthy communication and strategies for conflict resolution. By so doing we stand to attain excellence and competence in our levels of civility, while developing effective skills in communicating with other employees in the work environment. Personally, I have been able to deeply reflect on important core values I strongly believe are of key importance to me when it comes to a healthy workplace environment prior to tallying any of the score on the statements of the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory. The major values include, mutual respect, honesty, transparency, and empowerment. Self-reflection considered to be an evidence-based innovative approach in nursing as it is a problem identifier which is also constructive in creating problem solving resolutions, it can facilitate better organization using the  “Situation-Task-Action-Result” (STAR) concept during the application of project-based strategies (Hung et al., 2019).

NURS 6052 Week 9 Assignment Work Environment Assessment Template

The results of the my workplace environment assessment indicates 2 main strategic implementation that can be used in addressing incivility in the work place, which include resolution of conflicts and programs that have been structured in a comprehensive manner for mentors-hip. My workplace organization has developed several mentors-hip programs within the nursing department for nurses to tap into. There are also several incentives that foster continuing educational programs during our in-services and annual training sessions for career growth and development. Nurses are paired with other more experienced nurses for perception and guidance which is very instrumental and advantages. This mentors-hip culture that has been embodied by my organization is motivational and empowering to all staff. The culture that the organization embodies, can also be referred to as the organizations personality. Regardless of the number of employees in an organization, its cultural principle serves as a motivational force for the connection of staff members to each other and to the organizations mission and vision. When the issues begin to conflict with the cultural principle of the organization and are not addressed it brings about uncertainty and a lack of focus overall.

My organization aims at offering staff members the  practices required to pursue meaningful work-lives that are beneficial to them and the organization in general. This has be able to foster a high-performing and relationship-oriented workforce that continues to draw professionals to the organization which is learned and developed. Based on evidence and research a healthy and civil work environment thrives by increasing efficiency and productivity while strengthening a sense of connection among employees. Accordingly, the organization provides its employees an environment for respect, inclusion and professionalism, by aligning their vision with the realities of their actions. The top leaders of the organization allow for transparency, which is a crucial role in the success of the organization (Gilbert, 2020). As a result, the employees are rewarded for their performance. The management and leadership also ensure that opportunities for continued personal and professional development of the employees are provided. The civility of the organization can also be seen in the adoption of standards and regulations that promote respect among the employees. The employees work in teams in achieving the organizational goals (Zerwekh & Garneau, 2020). Consequently, there is a high level of productivity, commitment and adherence to ethics among the staffs.

An example of a situation where I experienced incivility in my workplace, was when I expressed my utmost concern about the lack of inclusivity of a policy on workplace scheduling of tasks. I raised the issue with my in-charge, who displayed an unprofessional behavior in the clinical setting, stating that she was very experienced and seasoned in the nursing field, unfortunately it wasn’t withing my scope or role to address the issue. The response and feedback from the unit nurse manager in-charge demonstrated incivility. I addressed the issue by informing her about the errors and omissions on the staff schedule regarding delegation of duties on that particular shift which seemed very unjust and partial. I also informed her about the potential risks associated with unsafe work conditions not just to the patients but to the staff as well in our practice. There was a general unit meeting held later on that week for the resolution of concerns and issues we had been facing, and the incident was slightly brushed over.

NURS 6052 Week 9 Assignment Work Environment Assessment Template

Conclusion

In actuality the incidence and prevalence of workplace incivility can be quite difficult to determine accurately, mostly it’s often unrecognized and under-reported. Research studies have produced results from studies according to (Becher & Visovsky, 2012) while examining incivility that takes place in the clinical setting and were able to ascertain that between 27% to 85% of nurses had experienced some form of incivility. This statistical numbers are quite staggering and made me realize that it must be a collective effort by each professional or clinician to create an atmosphere that encourages nurses to perform at their very best to render quality care in the safest way possible to their patients. The guarantee of an optimum patient care satisfaction rate is safe patient care is the standard of provision that every healthcare organization should strive to attain, they are obligated to this responsibility. It is therefore imperative that the issue of incivility in the workplace should be taken seriously and addressed accordingly, to avoid detrimental effects to the mental health of nurses on the field, maintain health productivity and essentially lead to potential patient care satisfaction.

Assignment: Workplace Environment Assessment

Clearly, diagnosis is a critical aspect of healthcare. However, the ultimate purpose of a diagnosis is the development and application of a series of treatments or protocols. Isolated recognition of a health issue does little to resolve it.

In this module’s Work Environment Assessment Discussion, you applied the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory to diagnose potential problems with the civility of your organization. In this Portfolio Assignment, you will continue to analyze the results and apply published research to the development of a proposed treatment for any issues uncovered by the assessment.

To Prepare:

  • Review the Resources and examine the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory, found on page 20 of Clark (2015).
  • Review the Work Environment Assessment Template.
  • Reflect on the output of your Discussion post regarding your evaluation of workplace civility and the feedback received from colleagues.
  • Select and review one or more of the following articles found in the Resources:
    • Clark, Olender, Cardoni, and Kenski (2011)
    • Clark (2018)
    • Clark (2015)
    • Griffin and Clark (2014)

The Assignment (3-6 pages total):

Part 1: Work Environment Assessment (1-2 pages)

  • Review the Work Environment Assessment Template you completed for this Module’s Discussion.
  • Describe the results of the Work Environment Assessment you completed on your workplace.
  • Identify two things that surprised you about the results and one idea you believed prior to conducting the Assessment that was confirmed.
  • Explain what the results of the Assessment suggest about the health and civility of your workplace.

Part 2: Reviewing the Literature (1-2 pages)

  • Briefly describe the theory or concept presented in the article(s) you selected.
  • Explain how the theory or concept presented in the article(s) relates to the results of your Work Environment Assessment.
  • Explain how your organization could apply the theory highlighted in your selected article(s) to improve organizational health and/or create stronger work teams. Be specific and provide examples.

Part 3: Evidence-Based Strategies to Create High-Performance Interprofessional Teams (1–2 pages)

  • Recommend at least two strategies, supported in the literature, that can be implemented to address any shortcomings revealed in your Work Environment Assessment.
  • Recommend at least two strategies that can be implemented to bolster successful practices revealed in your Work Environment Assessment.

By Day 7 of Week 9

Submit your Workplace Environment Assessment Assignment

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