WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT

Sample of what I did for class

With mounting evidence that a healthy work environment improves employee satisfaction, retention, patient outcomes, and organizational performance, many health organizations define the criteria for a healthy workplace for healthcare in the future. As leaders, we must be able to sense the health and well-being of our workplace. A healthy work environment necessitates strong nursing leadership at all levels. Creating a healthy work environment necessitates effective nursing leadership at all levels of the organization, particularly at the point of care, where most frontline staff work and patient care is delivered (Sherman & Pross, 2010). The health organization promotes broad communication, responsibility, hands-on collaboration with appropriate and qualified staff, shared decision-making with tangible leadership, professional growth, and employee recognition. (Coalition of Nursing Organizations, 2004).

Results of the Work Environment Assessment

The Clark Health Workplace Inventory revealed a score of 53, indicating my current work environment is unhealthy. Communication and professional development resources received the lowest score. The organization suffers from a lack of communication between leaders and other team members and inadequate teamwork and employee compassion.

Why the Workplace is not Civil

Employee happiness, engagement, and morale are all factors that negatively impact the workplace. The workplace is unfriendly because the employees, particularly the nursing staff, believe they are underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid. For example, a high staff turnover rate leads to many callouts, poor customer service, dissatisfied patients and family members, and low employee morale (Martin, 2017). Employees at this institution are unhappy, and most of them are leaving or switching to part-time or per diem work. The frontline staff, particularly the nursing team, are not involved in decision-making discussions that affect their work. Most of the nurses in this facility believe and feel that the managers do not care about them or how they think. The nurses believe that the managers do not listen to their issues and concerns and that their contributions or services are insignificant. These nurses' feelings and beliefs in the facility have created a culture of intrinsic value distinct from that of the management team and the facility. As a result, it impacts the driving force of the facility's success, resulting in a lack of interest and readiness for change.

Incivility Experience

For example, my numerous requests for professional development certifications, which would satisfy my desire for career advancement and promotion and benefit the organization with increased nursing care knowledge, were flatly ignored. For optimal patient care, nurse work environments must include open communication, growth opportunities, positive reinforcement, and a productive environment (Manning & Jones, 2021). Professional development interventions can improve job satisfaction and retention among nurses and other staff members. Significant recent findings demonstrated the link between improving nurses' competency and expertise.

How it was Addressed

Good communication skills to address the manager's behavior. A request for a private meeting with the manager was made. The manager was reminded of the effort that had been put into the projects, and it was made clear that recognition and acknowledgment of one's participation and contribution to the projects would have been appreciated. The message was clear and precise, and intelligence techniques were employed. Emotional intelligence is a valuable skill that can help improve workplace communication, management, problem-solving, and relationships (Mcginnis, 2018). In this case, was used to explain how the manager's actions affected those around him. Although the manager could not correct the incivility, dealing with the case resulted in an honest working relationship between us.

Conclusion

As leaders, we must all endeavor to build and maintain peaceful, healthy work cultures in which we communicate effectively and manage disagreement in a courteous and responsible manner. Communication that is straightforward and respectful promotes a civil work climate, encourages teamwork, and ultimately improves patient care. Acting against incivility by speaking up when it occurs. It may be the most effective strategy to stop it from happening (Clark, 2015).

References

Clark, C. M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18–23. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf

Manning, J., & Jones, N. (2021). Improving Healthy Work Environments Through Specialty Nursing Professional Development. Journal of Radiology Nursing. https://doiorg.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.jradnu.2021.05.006.

McGinnis, E. J.(2018). Developing the emotional intelligence of undergraduate music education majors: An exploratory study using Bradberry and Greaves’ (2009) emotional intelligence 2.0. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 27(2),11–22. Retrieved from https://doiorg.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1177/1057083717723919.

Martin, C. (2017). The effects of nurse staffing on quality of care. MEDSURG Nursing, 24(2), 4- 6. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenlibrary.org/eds/pdfviewer?vid= 9&sid=03853523-1b6b-40b1-b592-f045d264df9%40sdc-v-sessmgr02

Nurses Organization Alliance. (2004). Principles and elements of a healthy practice/work environment. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from www.aone.org/aone/pdf/PrinciplesandElementsHealthfulWorkPractice.pdf

Sherman, R., & Pross, E., (2010). Growing Future Nurse Leaders to Build and Sustain Healthy Work Environments at the Unit Level. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 15(1). https://doi-10.3912/OJIN.Vol15No01Man01.