NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 4 Stakeholder Presentation

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4005 Nursing Leadership: Focusing on People, Processes, and Organizations

Prof. Name

Date

 Stakeholder Presentation

Hi,______ here. The following essay presents an interdisciplinary solution to solve communication failures at St. Anthony Medical Center (SAMC). We will outline the entire plan and related success metrics for our proposal as we move forward. We aim to enhance communication systems between nursing staff and physician personnel as well as Information Technology (IT) workers together with hospital administrators to develop both staff safety and operational efficiency.

Healthcare Challenge within the Organization

The main obstacle at SAMC originates from Medical Errors (MEs) in conjunction with delays and workflow inefficiency because these problems threaten both patient safety and treatment quality. The clinical deficits at SAMC result from provider communication breakdowns, missing standard processes, and insufficient medical records. Staff members who frequently exit their roles, especially nurses, cause disrupted patient care continuity because it leads to a greater risk of MEs at SAMC. Patient outcomes suffer from adverse effects when medical errors exist because patients experience delayed medical treatments and prolonged hospitalization periods, which in select cases lead to fatal complications.

Medical institutions often attribute major preventable medical errors directly to inadequate communication practices during patient care, and these practices produce substantial financial losses. Patient errors sustain financial costs between $2,000 to $2,500 per individual, based on Mutair et al. (2021). A missing system structure forces care teams to manage excessive workloads because stress and professional burnout increases with heavier workloads, as a result of which errors become more likely to occur. The budget and operational stability of SAMC face a significant financial risk due to these inefficient practices.

NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 4 Stakeholder Presentation

When effective communication remains unresolved, it weakens both healthcare staff confidence about safe patient care quality and damages the reputation of SAMC as a medical trust hub. Strategic collaborative teams, together with established communication methods and leadership engagement, represent the only viable approach to resolving healthcare system complexities (Alderwick et al., 2021). A unified team approach among every department provides SAMC with the capability to deliver superior patient-centered healthcare effectively.

Significance of the Issue

Reducing and preventing MEs is a top priority at SAMC to ensure patient safety and uphold the hospital’s reputation. Communication breakdowns and workflow inefficiencies not only disrupt care delivery but also lower patient satisfaction and increase legal risks. Strengthening collaboration among nurses, physicians, IT staff, and administrators is essential to reducing these MEs and improving care coordination. Implementing structured, team-based communication strategies will enhance workflow efficiency and minimize documentation mistakes. By fostering interdisciplinary teamwork and adopting standardized protocols, SAMC can improve patient outcomes, shorten hospital stays, and create a more supportive and cohesive work environment. Prioritizing effective communication will lead to safer, more efficient, and higher-quality patient care (Alderwick et al., 2021).

Significance of an Interdisciplinary Team Approach

SAMC must take a comprehensive approach to address MEs, focusing on improved communication, shared responsibilities, and ongoing training. Strengthening teamwork among healthcare professionals will help minimize MEs and enhance patient care. Our strategy includes:

• Enhanced Communication Protocols: Establishing clear communication guidelines among nurses, physicians, IT staff, and administrators is essential. Standardized processes, such as structured handoff procedures and documentation protocols, will help reduce MEs caused by miscommunication and ensure consistency in patient care (Ghosh et al., 2021).
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Optimization: Implementing a more integrated and user-friendly EHR system will reduce documentation MEs and enhance real-time communication. A streamlined EHR will minimize manual entry mistakes and improve access to patient information across departments.
• Ongoing Training and Education: Continuous professional development on patient safety and effective communication will be prioritized. Regular training sessions will reinforce best practices, ensuring all staff members stay updated on protocols to prevent MEs and improve efficiency.
• Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration: Defining clear roles within the healthcare team will encourage mutual accountability and cooperation. By fostering open discussions on patient care and potential challenges, team members can proactively address issues and prevent MEs before they occur (Mutair et al., 2021).

Roles Within the Interdisciplinary Team

• Nurse Leaders: Our nurse leaders play a crucial role in ensuring the successful implementation of safety practices. They not only enforce these protocols among staff but also provide continuous education, fostering a culture of accountability and patient-centered care.
• Pharmacists: As medication experts, pharmacists are essential in reviewing prescriptions for potential drug interactions. They work closely with the care team to verify e-prescriptions and ensure that every patient receives the safest and most effective treatment possible.
• Physicians: Physicians collaborate with the entire team to ensure medications are prescribed accurately and appropriately. Their involvement is vital in preventing medication MEs, maintaining high standards of patient care, and ensuring that treatment plans are executed safely (Alderwick et al., 2021).

Achieving Better Outcomes

At SAMC, reducing MEs is not just an operational goal but is essential to ensuring patient safety and high-quality care. Strengthening collaboration among healthcare professionals fosters a cohesive and supportive work environment where staff proactively prevent MEs before they occur. Implementing advanced solutions, such as e-prescribing systems, will streamline medication management and significantly reduce human MEs in prescription processing. These improvements allow healthcare providers to spend more time focusing on patient care rather than correcting preventable mistakes. In addition, regular training programs will ensure that every team member stays up to date on best practices in medication safety, equipping them with the confidence and knowledge to prevent MEs effectively (Hareem et al., 2023).

A well-integrated team promotes accountability, trust, and shared responsibility, which not only boosts staff morale but also enhances the overall culture of safety within the hospital. When healthcare professionals trust and support one another, patient outcomes improve, MEs decrease, and the hospital environment becomes more efficient and patient-centered. However, failing to address MEs at SAMC would have serious consequences. Patients could suffer from adverse drug reactions, prolonged hospital stays, or preventable harm.

The impact would extend beyond patient care—staff frustration and burnout would increase as inefficiencies in medication management create unnecessary stress and workflow challenges. Financially, unresolved MEs could lead to legal claims, higher operational costs, and increased hospital readmissions, placing a strain on hospital resources. Most critically, the hospital’s reputation is at risk. A loss of patient trust can have long-term consequences that are difficult to reverse. By taking a proactive approach, SAMC can protect patients, empower staff, and uphold its reputation as a trusted provider of safe, high-quality healthcare (Laatikainen et al., 2021).

Overview of the Interdisciplinary Plan

We have developed an evidence-based interdisciplinary plan to address the frequent MEs at SAMC, aiming to improve patient safety and reduce MEs in medication management. This plan is built on the expertise and dedication of our healthcare professionals, including nurse leaders, pharmacists, IT specialists, and coordinators, who will drive the necessary changes through continuous training. Our approach focuses on enhancing communication, ensuring proper documentation, and establishing standardized procedures across all teams.

Nurse leaders will oversee the proper administration of medications, while pharmacists will take the lead in managing drug interactions and providing educational resources on medication safety. IT professionals will refine the use of e-prescribing systems to ensure accurate patient records and prescriptions. Research supports this strategy, showing that medication review and reconciliation can reduce MEs. At the heart of this plan is the commitment to fostering interdisciplinary teamwork, which is crucial for achieving medication safety (Ghosh et al., 2021). Our goal is not just to solve the immediate problem but to create a safer and more supportive environment for both our patients and staff.

Key Roles and Responsibilities of the Interdisciplinary Team

At SAMC, our nursing leaders will take the lead in implementing safety protocols, ensuring everyone is aligned on medication administration guidelines. They will also advocate for necessary policy changes that prioritize patient safety across all operations. Training coordinators will play a vital role in leading workshops on proper medication handling, ensuring all team members are well-versed in safety policies and feel confident in their roles. Our IT experts will focus on maintaining and optimizing our electronic prescribing systems, streamlining the documentation process, and significantly reducing the chances of prescription MEs (Hareem et al., 2023). This effort is crucial, as failing to address medication MEs could lead to harm to patients, as well as legal and financial challenges for the hospital. This is why our collective effort is so critical, and we must remain fully committed to patient safety.

Resource Allocation and Execution Plan

To effectively address MEs at SAMC, we have developed a comprehensive interdisciplinary plan that takes a multi-step approach, requiring strategic planning and careful management of resources. We will use the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle—a simple yet powerful method for improving processes. This involves planning a change, testing it, reviewing the results, and making necessary adjustments based on what we learn. This cycle will help guide our efforts and ensure that the interventions we implement are both effective and sustainable.

Planning Phase

In the planning phase, our priority will be to identify the root causes of MEs, which often stem from communication breakdowns, incomplete or incorrect patient documentation, and inconsistent procedures. To address these issues, we will roll out comprehensive training programs for our nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. These programs will focus on improving medication safety and establishing clear documentation standards (DPHHS, n.d.). We will also create a system for collecting staff feedback to ensure we’re fully prepared for any upcoming changes.

Doing Phase

Once our plans are in place, we will enter the doing phase. Here, we will pilot the revised medication administration process in one department to test its effectiveness on a small scale. This trial will give us valuable insight into how the new protocols are working and allow us to identify areas for improvement. We will maintain strong communication with the staff throughout this phase, ensuring we have IT support for e-prescribing updates and that feedback is continuously gathered. If any issues arise, we will act quickly to address them before they affect the broader hospital environment.

Study Phase

In the study phase, we will evaluate the data collected during the pilot program. We will closely monitor key performance indicators such as MEs rates, staff compliance, and patient safety outcomes to assess the success of our efforts. Our IT team will work with administrative staff to ensure that the digital tools we have implemented are functioning smoothly and enhancing, rather than hindering, the new processes.

Act Phase

Finally, in the act phase, we will refine our strategies based on the findings from the study phase and extend the updated protocols across the entire hospital. We will provide ongoing refresher training sessions, offer IT support, and conduct regular audits to ensure the new practices remain effective. This will help establish a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that patient safety becomes ingrained in our daily operations and boosting the confidence our staff and patients have in the care we provide (DPHHS, n.d.).

Resource Allocation and Management

Implementing our interdisciplinary plan will help us tackle MEs effectively at SAMC. While the initial investment in staff training and technology may seem substantial, the long-term benefits in terms of reduced MEs and better patient outcomes will outweigh the costs. For example, hospitals like the Mayo Clinic have shown that investing in staff development improves patient safety and reduces overall operational costs.

Our approach will involve strategically allocating resources based on expertise. Pharmacists will be responsible for overseeing medication administration to ensure safety, while our IT team will manage the e-prescribing system and provide technical support. The estimated annual cost for training, system updates, and new technology deployment will be around $300,000. However, investing in these resources to prevent MEs will ultimately save money over time. By 2013, nearly all prescriptions were handled electronically, with 98% of pharmacies and 90% of healthcare providers using e-prescribing systems (Grammatikopoulou et al., 2024).

Research consistently shows that e-prescribing significantly reduces MEs. These systems rely on advanced databases to track and document patient information in real time, ensuring accuracy. Additionally, e-prescribing empowers patients by providing them with easy access to their health information, allowing them to actively engage with their care team and improve their overall health outcomes. 

Assessment of Results

To evaluate the effectiveness of our interdisciplinary plan in reducing MEs at SAMC, we will use evidence-based metrics to track our progress. Our focus will be on key performance indicators like ME rates, staff compliance, patient safety, and financial outcomes. The primary goal is to reduce MEs, and we will begin by collecting data on current ME rates. This will allow us to compare them with data from subsequent quarters to gauge improvements.

A noticeable reduction in MEs within the first six months will signal that our efforts are yielding positive results. Studies have shown that technology, such as infusion pumps integrated with e-prescribing systems, can significantly reduce MEs (Grammatikopoulou et al., 2024). To ensure staff adherence to new protocols, we will conduct quarterly audits that assess compliance with updated procedures, appropriate use of technology, and participation in training sessions. High compliance levels will be a strong indicator that the system is being effectively implemented.

Patient safety will be measured through various factors, including MEs, patient satisfaction surveys, and readmission rates. A decrease in adverse drug events (ADEs) and readmissions, combined with positive feedback from patients, will confirm that the quality improvement strategies are making a real difference in care (Laatikainen et al., 2021). The evidence consistently supports the idea that reducing MEs leads to better patient outcomes. With ongoing monitoring and adjustments based on data, we can ensure that this plan remains effective and continues to enhance medication safety at SAMC.

Conclusion

By implementing a structured interdisciplinary plan, SAMC is proactively reducing medication errors and improving patient safety. We aim to create a safer and more efficient healthcare environment through enhanced communication, optimized electronic health records, continuous staff training, and collaborative teamwork. Regular monitoring and data-driven adjustments will ensure that our strategies remain effective. Ultimately, this initiative will minimize errors and enhance patient trust, staff confidence, and the overall quality of care at SAMC.

References

Alderwick, H., Hutchings, A., Briggs, A., & Mays, N. (2021). The impacts of collaboration between local health care and non-health care organizations and factors shaping how they work: A systematic review of reviews. BioMed Central Public Health, 21(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10630-1 

DPHHS. (n.d.). Introduction to quality improvement and the FOCUS-PDSA model. https://dphhs.mt.gov/assets/publichealth/EMSTS/PSDA_Model.pdf 

Ghosh, S., Ramamoorthy, L., & pottakat, B. (2021). Impact of structured clinical handover protocol on communication and patient satisfaction. Journal of Patient Experience, 8(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373521997733 

Grammatikopoulou, M., Lazarou, I., Giannios, G., Kakalou, C. A., Zachariadou, M., Zande, M., Karanikas, H., Thireos, E., Stavropoulos, T. G., Natsiavas, P., Nikolopoulos, S., & Kompatsiaris, I. (2024). Electronic prescription systems in Greece: A large-scale survey of healthcare professionals’ perceptions. Archives of Public Health, 82(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-024-01304-6 

Hareem, A., Lee, J., Stupans, I., Park, A., & Wang, K. (2023). Benefits and barriers associated with e-prescribing in community pharmacy – a systematic review. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 12(12), 100375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100375 

NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 4 Stakeholder Presentation

Laatikainen, O., Sneck, S., & Turpeinen, M. (2021). Medication-related adverse events in health care—what have we learned? A narrative overview of the current knowledge. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 78(2), 159–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-021-03213-x 

Mutair, A. A., Alhumaid, S., Shamsan, A., Zaidi, A. R. Z., Mohaini, M. A., Al Mutairi, A., Rabaan, A. A., Awad, M., & Al-Omari, A. (2021). The effective strategies to avoid medication errors and improving reporting systems. Medicines, 8(9), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines8090046 

NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 4 Stakeholder Presentation