NHS FPX 8040 Assessment 1 Project Charter Part 1

Name

Capella university

NHS-FPX 8040 21st-Century Health Care Leadership

Prof. Name

Date

Project Overview

Project Name:

The initiative, titled Healing the Workforce: Addressing Nursing Shortages at Lima Memorial Hospital, aims to resolve the critical shortfall in registered nursing staff, which is currently disrupting the delivery of high-quality care and compromising patient safety. Out of 500 authorized nursing positions at the hospital, 75 remain unfilled. This imbalance significantly increases pressure on existing staff, contributing to burnout and diminishing the standard of care provided to patients.

Gap Analysis:

The current operational state at Lima Memorial Hospital reveals a severe gap in nursing workforce adequacy. There are 75 vacant positions among the 500 approved roles, primarily due to ineffective recruitment and insufficient retention strategies. The objective is to bring down the number of vacancies to 25 within the next year. This reduction would not only alleviate strain on the current workforce but also enhance the consistency and quality of patient care. The gap was identified through several methods, including analysis of staffing data, recruitment trends, and employee feedback on workload and burnout. Addressing this gap is essential to ensure that the patient population receives timely, safe, and satisfactory healthcare services.

Evidence to Support the Need:

Internal surveys at Lima Memorial Hospital reveal that 65% of the nursing staff experience elevated stress levels due to excessive workload. Furthermore, nearly half of the nurses believe these conditions negatively affect patient safety. These findings highlight the urgent need for workforce stabilization. National data also support the urgency of this issue. Tamata and Mohammadnezhad (2022) report that an additional three million nurses are needed to bridge the gap in the United States. From a regulatory standpoint, The Joint Commission mandates hospitals to uphold sufficient staffing levels to ensure safety and effectiveness in healthcare delivery (Baker, 2022). Additionally, inadequate nurse staffing undermines the financial sustainability of healthcare systems and limits care access, especially in underserved areas (Udod, 2023).

Problem Statement and SMART Objectives

Problem Statement:

Lima Memorial Hospital is facing significant operational challenges due to an ongoing nursing shortage, which stems from gaps in recruitment and retention practices. This shortfall results in overburdened staff, increased turnover, and unmet staffing requirements. Consequently, there is a pressing need for targeted improvements in hiring strategies and retention protocols to ensure high-quality patient care and improved workplace satisfaction for nurses.

SMART Objectives:

The project’s goals are structured using the SMART framework as detailed below:

SMART Criteria	Description
Specific	The focus is on filling nursing vacancies and enhancing the hospital’s recruitment and retention infrastructure. This includes improving services for current and prospective nursing staff.
Measurable	The success of the project will be measured by the reduction of vacant nursing positions—filling 50 roles out of the current 75 vacancies.
Achievable	The objectives are considered attainable due to available resources and leadership support aimed at staff retention and recruitment enhancement.
Relevant	This initiative aligns with the hospital’s mission to support staff well-being and ensure access to quality care, contributing to broader public health goals.
Time-bound	The project will begin immediately upon charter approval, with the goal to meet staffing targets within a 12-month period.

Project Aim

Aim of the Project:

The overarching aim is to lower nurse turnover rates and reduce staffing vacancies at Lima Memorial Hospital. By targeting a reduction from 75 to 25 unfilled positions within a 12-month timeframe, this project promises benefits for both staff and patients. Nurses will benefit from reduced stress and improved job satisfaction, while patients will receive more consistent and equitable care. The implementation strategy includes evidence-based practices such as competitive compensation, career development initiatives, and fostering a respectful work culture (Pressley & Garside, 2023). These efforts will be launched as soon as the project charter gains approval, and outcomes will be monitored for progress over the course of the implementation year.

References

Baker, D. W. (2022). Addressing the nursing shortage in the United States: An interview with Dr. Peter Buerhaus. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 48(5), 298–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2022.02.006

Pressley, C., & Garside, J. (2023). Safeguarding the retention of nurses: A systematic review on determinants of nurse’s intentions to stay. Nursing Open, 10(5), 2842–2858. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1588