Icu - a Cry for Help

To: Manager, ICU Ward

From: Pratik Dey Sourav

Subject: Analysis of current work environment and solutions to improve the condition

Date: September 29th, 2016

ICU is an integral part of any health care facility. Therefore, a safe and positive work environment is imperative to ensure proper delivery of care by all of its member as a team. However, we have somehow failed to achieve that desired state here at the ICU. Lack of team morale, leadership, and a sense of role deprivation have created a disgruntled state among the nursing staff. After much analysis, I have come to the following conclusion and recommendation that I believe will be proven helpful to identify and address the immediate issues at hand:

• ICU is significantly understaffed; immediate staffing should be our priority.

• Collaborative participation and planning by all members towards the common and shared goal so that ICU ward can become successful as a true team.

• Restriction of visiting hours to enable the nursing staff to perform their duties properly.

• Improvement and enforcement of security in the ICU ward to ensure a safe working environment.

• Proper recognition and motivation of the nursing staff by various incentive programs.

Immediate Staffing:

The recent cutback in ICU staffing has proven detrimental to the work environment. The pool nurses, even though are getting paid more than the regular nurses, are less skillful and inexperienced. This issue of inadequate staffing has resulted in a higher workload which put the nursing staff in a stressful environment. In order for the ICU team to succeed as a team, it requires right members matched to their goal [1]. Therefore, the management should consider hiring more seasoned ICU nurses rather than inexperienced pool nurses. This measure is both efficient and cost effective.

Team Building Measures:

In a clinical setting, effective patient care and management are solely dependent on teamwork [2].However, the ICU staff has failed horribly to come together and perform as a team. The team morale is at an all-time low. Lack of leadership, communication, clearly defined roles and responsibility, and respect among its member are the root causes of the current situation. In order for ICU ward to function as a true team all of its members need to accept the fact that they all share a common goal [3]. They need to realize that despite of their differences in professional title, their role has an equal importance in achieving that common goal. I recommend and expect a strong participating style leadership from the management where all members of ICU ward will be treated equally, they will have a clear idea about their roles and responsibilities, they all will be encouraged to participate in the decision making process, and their opinion will be valued with appropriate feedback [4]. I also recommend a monthly meeting where all the staff will get together and share their thoughts and ideas. These steps

will definitely help to develop a sense of respect and cohesion among the ICU staff. Only then the ICU ward can be a true team [5].

Restricted Visiting Hour:

Hospital should strongly consider changing its current policy regarding the ICU visiting hour. ICU is a home for patients who need critical care. A 24/7 visiting