The Organization of the Working Staff in the Hospital
Introduction
The organization of the working staff in the hospital is important for the delivery of efficient health care services. The work of registered nurses is usually grouped based on the age of patients and types of care. The issue of the connection between the delivery of health care services and the organization of work has been investigated many times. Researchers have found out that the chosen model of health services delivery influences the outcomes. There are different models of health care delivery including team nursing, primary nursing, and progressive patient care. As a manager of the unit, I would choose the team nursing model of care delivery. In the following paper, the team nursing model will be analyzed.
Team Nursing Model
The team nursing model originated after World War II. It was a reaction to the severe scarcity of nurses in the post-war period. The distinguishing feature of this model is that the registered nurse leads a team of other nurses. Various tasks are distributed between personnel. In such a way, all people have their jobs, and it may improve their mastery and efficient care delivery. The primary task of the team leader is to work on plans for patient care. Besides, the leader should distribute activities among personnel. The hierarchical form of communication is prevailing in this model (Potter, Perry, Stockert, & Hall, 2014).
According to Hoeman (2008), a team-based model of care delivery has always been regarded as the most efficient. This is explained by the fact that team nursing presupposes coordination and collaboration. The author describes three types of teams that can be formed as variations of this model. Multidisciplinary teams include professionals from various spheres. Thus, everyone sees particular goals depending on his or her specialization. Members of interdisciplinary teams work together to identify necessary goals. This organization is useful as far as it excludes the possibility of duplication or conflicts. The third type of team is transdisciplinary. Boundaries between fields of professional activity are rather erased in this type. Thus, one team member may conduct various functions to maximize the efficiency of care delivery.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Model
The team-based nursing model of care delivery has both advantages and disadvantages. The primary advantage of this model refers to the collaborative style of the provision of health care services. The collaborative style presupposes the common decision-making process and the division of all responsibilities. Thus, all members of the team have the right to express their opinion concerning the method of treatment. A team leader has a high level of autonomy. It means that he or she has time for the organization of the working process.
According to Kelly (2011), the primary disadvantage is that “patients often receive fragmented, depersonalized care” (p. 360). A complex hierarchical system of communication makes it difficult to share responsibilities and accountability. Besides, RN visits patients rarely. The lack of proper division of tasks and collaboration creates a state of confusion. Consequently, patients may not receive adequate care. Also, the delivery of services depends on RN’s leadership skills drastically.
Conclusion
A team-based nursing model presupposes the division of tasks to deliver the most efficient health care. The task of the team leader is to promote collaborative work and distribute responsibilities. However, the leader should have good leadership skills to achieve positive outcomes.
References
Hoeman, S. (2008). Rehabilitation Nursing. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Kelly, P. (2011). Nursing Leadership and Management. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Potter, P., Perry, A., Stockert, P., & Hall, A. (2014). Essentials for Nursing Practice. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences.