It’s only the beginning of the new year, and we’re already reading reports about hospitals grappling with rising turnover. Almost a quarter of US Hospitals reported critical staffing shortages in early January. There’s also growing concern about staff members calling in sick because they’re getting infected with omicron or other seasonal illnesses like flu or common cold. Another report by the International Council of Nurses found that the world could be short of 13 million nurses by 2030 unless we take drastic steps to encourage the younger generation to take up healthcare.
How To Help Your Healthcare Staff Improve Patient Care Experience
- March 19, 2022
- px3med
- Healthcare System
- No Comments
The staffing crisis adds to the strain on hospital administration, affects patient care, and contributes to staff burnout. Nurses, in particular, have been the worst affected. But physicians, too, have experienced high levels of burnout. A recent survey found that the burnout rate increased sharply in the second to the third quarter of 2021 when the delta variant took hold.
Not surprisingly, there were a number of strikes from healthcare workers, including one at a Massachusetts hospital where 800 nurses went on strike, demanding better working conditions. Their demands included shorter work hours, safer staffing measures, a better nurse-to-patient ratio, and better wages.
Hospitals must initiate and develop best practices to create a better work environment for staff and ensure better patient care. We’ve listed some for you below:
- Implementing any strategy to improve efficiency must fit into existing work patterns. New ideas fail to take off because people resist change. Humans are creatures of habit – we’re hardwired to prefer the efficiency of repetition. If you’re keen on bringing about change, ensure it is as seamless as possible. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; instead, find what people like about their current work and incorporate that into the new system.
- Ensure seamless technology integration as employees often find it overwhelming to work with different software platforms or devices. Requiring staff to log in to different applications is counterproductive and complicates work.
- Eliminate or reduce administrative duties wherever possible as it diverts time and focus from things that matter. This includes delivering quality care and treatment to patients.
- Work with specialized recruitment providers to find the right staff that matches your brand quickly and effectively.
