To be sure, the United States of America features one of the world's most respected healthcare systems. Professionalism is high, and the healthcare facilities and equipment are cutting-edge. At the same time, technological improvements in healthcare delivery have changed approaches to medical research and healthcare management (Huber, 2014). The healthcare industry's complexity has forced the move to engage professional managers and first-rate policymakers to drive growth by opening new frontiers for stakeholders. Clearly, the techniques and viewpoints of managers and leaders in healthcare, particularly in nursing, have shifted over time. Nursing stands out as a multi-faceted and integral component of the healthcare sector in the United States of America. The quality of delivery in the healthcare operations in the U.S.A is largely dependent on the efficiency of the nursing spectrum. Thus, the nursing professionals; policy managers, administrators, technologists, registered nurses, nursing assistants, and team leaders have had to rethink their methodologies of delivery of general healthcare and patient care services (Mark & Wan, 2011). However, the field of nursing has had faced tremendous challenges in the past decades and at present. Essentially, the challenges have been presented by the oft-changing trends in the social, economic, and political spheres of the United States. In this regard, the problem of nursing shortage as well as nurse turnover have bedeviled the healthcare system in the country; thereby, creating gross inefficiencies in the daily operations of the healthcare industry.
Problem Analysis: Nursing Shortage and Nurse Turnover
Fundamentally, nursing shortage is considered as a circumstance whereby the prevailing demand for professionals in the nursing field; such as, registered Nurses (RNs) is relatively high compared to the supply at the local, national or international level. Clearly, the degree of nursing shortage can be estimated using policy metrics; such as, ratios of nurse-to-patient or nurse-to-population (Janiszewski Goodin, 2010). In the same view, the number of openings available for nursing professionals in a given healthcare facility could influence the level of nursing shortage. Understandably, a change in the nursing profession policy, for instance, with regards to the number of RNs deployed to a particular department could result into a nursing shortage. The problem of nursing shortage has an adverse effect on the quality of patient care in the sense that the working environment of the nursing professionals becomes unconducive for smooth operations (Mark & Wan, 2011). Thus, the challenge can be expressed in the form of increased staff workloads, a heightened risk of professional errors or a rise in the probability of occupational injuries.
Agreeably, nurse turnover is viewed as the voluntary or involuntary termination of services by a nursing professional within a designated healthcare facility in the United States. The issue of nurse turnover has had a significant impact on the quality of patient care due to the human resource management challenge it presents (O’Brien-Pallas et al., 2013). Majorly, voluntary nurse turnover occurs in the circumstance that a nursing professional willingly agrees to cease performing the nursing duties due to a change in career or general prejudice. On the other hand, involuntary nurse turnover is evidenced by the cessation of nursing services by a nursing professional due to problems related to poor delivery of services (leading to termination), policy directive by a healthcare management unit or a permanent closure of a particular healthcare center (Mark & Wan, 2011). Arguably, the negative effects of nurse turnover are exhibited through elements; such as, increased costs of hiring and training, delayed services of patient care, inefficiency in staff management and operational levels and poor quality of healthcare services.
Comparison and Contrast of the Approaches to Nursing Leadership and Management about the Challenge
To address nursing shortage in a healthcare installation within the United States a nursing leader would seek to influence the management policy of the healthcare organization to allow the deployment of additional nursing professionals to correct the deficit at the present circumstance and in the future. On the other hand, a nursing manager would implement a corrective measure in a timely manner using the resources within his or her jurisdiction through a cost-saving approach to facilitate resource optimization. In essence, this would involve the immediate deployment of nursing staff to the concerned units or departments to ensure that there is effective running of the operations (Janiszewski Goodin, 2010). It is clear that the nursing leader pursues a policy-based approach to problem solving whereas a nursing manager focuses on an execution-based method focused on planning and coordination. The variation in the two approaches is explained in the management functions advanced by Fayol Henri in 1925; organization, planning, control, coordination, and command (Huber, 2014). In this case, Fayol outlines the duties of a manager in a given managerial environment; such as, a healthcare system. In contrast, the Aristotelian leadership theory, Great Man, asserts that situational leadership is effective in the sense that a good leader emerges during a given circumstance.
The matter of nurse turnover can be solved by using a nursing leadership or management approach. For instance, a high nurse turnover would translate to huge losses and operational challenges to the healthcare entity. Comprehensibly, this reality is brought about by factors; such as, the loss of key nursing professionals, and high replacement costs due to training and recruitment. Therefore, a nursing leader would endeavor to change the state of the workplace environment for the nursing staff and negotiate for increased salaries for the professionals to act as a motivational tool (O’Brien-Pallas et al., 2013). On the other hand, a nursing manager would hire new nursing professionals to replace those who have left the facility: this action is aimed at ensuring the continuity of the nursing operations in the medical center. For clarity of the difference in approach between the nursing leader and manager; Gulick Luther (1937) advanced the management principles established by Fayol Henri (Mark & Wan, 2011). He maintained that there are seven processes in management that a manager should take into consideration in an organization: planning, coordinating, budgeting, reporting, staffing, organizing, and directing. Further, the leadership principle observed in this case originates from Posner’s and Kouzes’ best practices for outstanding leadership. One of the leadership tenets advocated by the theorists is behavioral modeling that seeks to develop a shared vision through inspiration, trust, and motivation.
Appropriate Approach and Conclusion
Arguably, the leadership and management method that best suits my professional and personal philosophy is Fayol Henri’s theory of management functions. I believe that an effective management style should be quick in execution and timely in generating results. In the ordinary life in my nursing career, I always seek to get prompt solutions for the challenges I encounter in the nursing department. Therefore, the ability to; coordinate, plan, control, command, and organize come in handy in my role as a nursing professional. When procedures and processes are undertaken in a time-conscious manner, the lives of patients can be saved easily and the delivery of quality care can be enhanced. Truly, I shall be committed to the values and principles of the nursing profession in my entire career life.
References
Huber, D. (2014). Leadership and Nursing Care Management. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Co.
Janiszewski Goodin, H. (2010). The nursing shortage in the United States of America: an integrative review of the literature. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 43(4), 335-343.
Mark, B.A., Salyer, J., & Wan, T.T. (2011). Professional Nursing Practice. J Nurs Adm, 33(4), 224-234.
O’Brien-Pallas, L., Griffin, P., Shamian, J., Buchan, J., Duffield, C., Hughes, F., & Stone, P.W. (2013). The impact of nurse turnover on patient, nurse, and system outcomes: a pilot study and focus for a multicenter international study. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 7(3), 169-179.
