Policy Management For Nurses: How To Beat Stress

Policy Management ForNurses: How To Beat Stress

Policy Management For NursesNurses are the pillars of the America’s healthcare system – they outnumber

doctors six to one, spend more time with patients, and have an ever-expanding scope of practice.

Their responsibilities can range from performing physical exams andadministering medication, to providing patient education and writing reports.

Nurses are on the front lines, and a mistake can be the difference betweenlife and death.

The physical and emotional toll of this work can lead to a great deal of stressand eventual burnout.

The right policy management for nurses can ensure that policies andprocedures that guide patient care are easily accessible and nurses are

properly supported.

A typical nurse works 8-12-hour shifts, during the dayor night, in various settings, from hospitals and long

term care facilities, to medical offices, ambulatory carecentres, and community health centres.

During a shift, he or she will carry out arange of activities, including, but not limited

to, the following:

- Perform physical exams and collect vitalsigns

- Monitor, record, and report patients’conditions

- Administer medications, provide wound care,and respond to patients’ immediate needs

- Prepare patients for and assist withexaminations or treatments

- Provide health education to patients andfamilies

- Direct and supervise care delivered by lessskilled nurses and other healthcare personnel

Overworked NursesStress not only affects the well-being of nurses at the individual level, but it

also translates into increased risk at the organizational level.

Recent studies have found a “significant association” between nurse burnoutand increased infections among patients, increased medical errors, and

substandard care.

Burned out nurses are not optimally alert and mentally aware, which leads tothese poor outcomes. In addition, burnout leads to job dissatisfaction and

ultimately high turnover.

This turnover can result in considerable personnel costs for healthcareorganizations.

The right policy management for nurses can be important in reducingstress and eventual burnout. A policy management system can save

valuable time in the policy management process that could be used forother more important tasks.

In a hospital that still has a paper and binder system, it could take severalminutes of flipping through binders before the policy is found. Saving timeis critical for an understaffed and overworked nurse. When policies that

guide patient care and are easily accessible, they will be consulted morefrequently, ensuring that nurses are following proper procedures. Thus,

risky situations and likelihood of error are reduced, especially whenperforming complicated procedures.

The CurrentHealthcare Environment

In the current healthcare environment, more and more is being asked of nurses, andthey are being held to higher standards of performance and accountability.

With the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the number of people with healthinsurance in the United States has increased significantly.

The influx of patients into the healthcare system has required an increased number ofprimary care providers, and nurses are filling in the gaps.

It is clear that high levels of stress can have a negative impact on the well-being of thenurses themselves, the safety of patients, and the organization as a whole.

It is critical that an effective policy management system is in place to ensure thatpolicies are easily accessible to support their vital work.

There is no denying the important work nurses do and thestrains they are under. Anything that can help aid there workshould be a number one priority for healthcare organizations.To that end our policy management software may be able to

help, or it may be that another vendors software is moresuitable.

If you would like to find out more how healthcarepolicy management software can help ease the

stress nurses are under please contact us for moreinformation. Alternatively if you would like to see our

software inaction please ask for a freedemonstration.

THANKYOU

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