NHS FPX 8040 Assessment 2 Project Charter Part 2

Name

Capella university

NHS-FPX 8040 21st-Century Health Care Leadership

Prof. Name

Date

Project Charter

Part 1: Project Overview

Project Name

The project is titled Healing the Workforce: Addressing Nursing Shortages at Lima Memorial Hospital, focusing on mitigating the persistent shortfall in registered nurses that compromises both patient safety and staff well-being.

Gap Analysis

Lima Memorial Hospital is currently facing a significant shortage of nursing staff, with 75 out of 500 approved nursing positions remaining unfilled. This has led to increased workloads for the existing workforce, contributing to staff burnout and a decline in the quality of patient care. In response, the project aims to reduce the number of vacant positions to 25 within a 12-month timeframe. Achieving this goal is expected to balance workloads, support staff retention, and improve clinical outcomes.

Gap Identification and Relevance Table

Current State	Desired State	Identified Gap	Methods Used to Identify the Gap	Implications for the Population
75 nursing vacancies due to insufficient recruitment and retention practices	Reduce vacancies to 25 within one year	Addressing the need to hire and retain 50 nurses	Reviewed staffing data, analyzed HR trends, and surveyed nursing staff on burnout and workload	Inadequate staffing results in delayed care, increased risk for patient harm, and lower satisfaction scores

Evidence to Support the Need

Recent internal surveys revealed that 65% of nursing staff reported heightened workloads, with half identifying adverse effects on patient safety and care standards. These findings reflect the urgent necessity to address the staffing crisis. The broader healthcare industry echoes this concern, as Tamata and Mohammadnezhad (2022) highlight that the United States must bridge a gap of nearly three million nurses to stabilize the workforce. Regulatory bodies, such as the Joint Commission, emphasize that adequate staffing levels are a prerequisite for accreditation and patient safety (Baker, 2022).

Moreover, ongoing shortages jeopardize financial sustainability by driving up recruitment and training costs due to high turnover. According to Udod (2023), chronic understaffing also limits access to timely care, especially in underserved communities. Addressing these challenges is essential to maintain operational stability and equitable care delivery.

Problem Statement

The persistent nurse staffing shortfall at Lima Memorial Hospital, driven by ineffective recruitment and retention measures, is undermining staff morale and patient outcomes. A strategic approach is necessary to bridge the gap between the current and desired staffing levels, ensuring safer and more effective healthcare services through improved HR practices and workflow efficiencies.

SMART Objectives

Objective Element	Description
Specific	Focused on Lima Memorial’s nursing team and recruitment department to improve hiring practices.
Measurable	Achieve a reduction of 50 vacancies over the course of one year.
Achievable	Supported by leadership with resources available to implement staffing solutions.
Relevant	Addresses critical healthcare access issues, aligns with institutional values, and contributes to reducing health disparities.
Time-Bound	Project begins upon charter approval and aims to meet its objective within 12 months.

Project Aim

The overarching goal is to lower the nurse vacancy count from 75 to 25 within a year, ultimately enhancing job satisfaction and patient outcomes. This objective will be pursued through initiatives like competitive pay, development opportunities, and fostering a positive work environment (Pressley & Garside, 2023). The anticipated outcomes include reduced burnout, improved morale, and higher quality care delivery.

Part 2: Project Team

Executive Sponsor

Dr. SJ, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, serves as the executive sponsor. Her responsibilities in overseeing medical operations and patient safety directly align with this project. She will provide executive oversight, secure funding, and support policy changes to facilitate successful recruitment and retention strategies. Her experience and authority position her to bridge departmental efforts and manage resistance during implementation.

Project Team Members

Title / Department	Contribution
Nurse Manager (KS) / Nursing Administration	KS brings firsthand experience with staffing shortages and nursing operations, ensuring proposed solutions are both practical and tailored to real-world conditions. Her collaborative leadership supports team buy-in.
Human Resource Manager (JM) / Human Resources	JM offers expertise in workforce planning and recruitment. His familiarity with the labor market and HR policies will drive the development and execution of hiring strategies.
Quality Improvement Coordinator (EM) / Quality Assurance	EM will oversee data collection and performance tracking, ensuring the project adheres to evidence-based quality metrics. Her role is key to refining strategies over time.
Finance Manager (MJ) / Finance Department	MJ is responsible for assessing the financial viability of proposed solutions, conducting cost-benefit analyses, and budgeting for staff initiatives. His expertise ensures economic sustainability.

Team Leader

Dr. AR, serving as the Chief Nursing Officer, provides strategic guidance to the nursing department. Two leadership styles will be central to the project’s success:

• Transformational Leadership: As per Saad Alessa (2021), this style emphasizes motivating staff through a compelling vision and ongoing encouragement. Dr. AR will inspire participation and innovation by aligning the team with a shared mission.
• Servant Leadership: As Canavesi and Minelli (2022) explain, this approach prioritizes the well-being of others, a crucial aspect in resolving burnout and fostering a supportive culture. By listening to staff concerns and addressing systemic issues, Dr. AR can create a resilient and motivated workforce.

Qualities like emotional intelligence, communication skills, and adaptability will be critical in ensuring the project’s resilience and inclusiveness across departments.

Stakeholders and Communication Plan

Key Stakeholders

Title / Role	Connection to the Project	Impact	Contribution
Union Representative (Mr. HT)	Advocates for the nursing workforce	Directly benefits from improved staffing levels, reduced burnout, and enhanced work conditions	Channels staff concerns and supports alignment between project goals and staff expectations
Patient Advocate (Dr. JR)	Focuses on patient rights and experiences	Better patient outcomes and safer care align with her advocacy efforts	Shares insights on how shortages affect care delivery, guiding improvements
Community Leader (FM)	Represents the community served by the hospital	Gains trust in the health system and benefits from improved healthcare access	Acts as liaison to secure community support and promote project visibility

Communication Plan To ensure coherence, transparency, and stakeholder engagement, a comprehensive communication strategy is planned. Each role will receive updates suited to their responsibilities and influence:

Audience	Communication Methods	Frequency	Purpose
Executive Sponsor	Quarterly review meetings, monthly emails, as-needed briefings	Quarterly and monthly	Strategic decision-making and progress validation (Leykum et al., 2023)
Stakeholders	Monthly town halls, biweekly newsletters via intranet, quarterly focus groups	Monthly and quarterly	Feedback gathering, progress reporting, and addressing concerns (Kong et al., 2021)
Team Members	Weekly check-ins, shared reports via email and collaboration tools	Weekly	Coordination of tasks and real-time project adjustments

This structured plan ensures all voices are heard, enhances accountability, and supports iterative improvements.

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

Canavesi, A., & Minelli, E. (2022). Leadership and servant leadership: A systematic literature review. Journal of Leadership Studies, 16(1), 6–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21774

NHS FPX 8040 Assessment 2 Project Charter Part 2

Kong, E. H., Lee, H., Kim, H. J., & Kim, S. (2021). Enhancing communication in health care: The effects of team meetings on team performance. BMC Health Services Research, 21, 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06026-5

Leykum, L. K., Pugh, J. A., Lanham, H. J., Harmon, J., McDaniel Jr., R. R. (2023). Implementation science and feedback mechanisms in healthcare. Implementation Science, 18, 56. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-023-01289-1

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

Saad Alessa, A. (2021). Exploring transformational leadership in nursing practice. Nursing Management, 28(3), 30–36. https://doi.org/10.7748/nm.2021.e1999

Tamata, A. T., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2022). A systematic review study on the factors affecting the shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals. Nursing Open, 10(3), 1247–1257. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1434

Udod, S. (2023). A call for urgent action: Innovations for nurse retention in addressing the nursing shortage. Nursing Reports, 13(1), 145–147. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep13010015

NHS FPX 8040 Assessment 2 Project Charter Part 2