Research Draft

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LOGICAL MODEL

Logical Model in Staff Shortage and High Turnover

Dominica Thomas

Grand Canyon University

HCA 364

Professor Ashley Hartman

12 April 2026

Logical Model in Staff Shortage and High Turnover

Healthcare organizations in the United States still face a serious workforce crisis manifested by staff shortages and high turnover rates which compromise patient safety and organizational efficiency. To address these problems, it is important for healthcare administrations to have a structured and ethically sound approach and frameworks (Chen et al., 2023). A clear framework that identifies inputs, outputs, and both long-term and short-term outcomes helps healthcare leaders have better allocation of resources, implement strategies, and evaluate success. Clear and effective frameworks go beyond just evaluating success and they at same time remain grounded in ethical considerations, regulatory requirements, and positive religious influence.

Logical Model

INPUTS	ACTIVITIES	OUTPUTS	SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES	LONG-TERM OUTCOMES
Human Resources Healthcare administrators Nurses and clinical educators	Recruitment and Retention Implement competitive compensation reviews Develop structured onboarding programs	Quantitative Outputs Number of staff recruited per quarter Count of onboarding completion programs	Organizational Increased staff satisfaction scores Reduced voluntary turnover rates	Workforce Sustainability Sustained Reduction in turnover rates Pool of trained healthcare admins
Financial Resources Recruitment and onboarding budgets Training and development allocation Grant funding for workforce initiatives	Workplace Culture Conduct quarterly employee satisfaction surveys Host ethics workshops and moral leadership training	Qualitative Outputs Revised HR policy manuals in line with OSHA Ethics training curricula developed	Ethical and Cultural Confidence in decision making Improved trust between admin and staff	Patient and Quality Impact Improved patient safety outcomes Reduced medical errors
Informational Resources Workforce data and turnover analytics Employee satisfaction survey results	Training and Development Design continuing education pathways Launch leadership development programs	Documentation Exit interview summary Annual workforce retention reports	Compliance Alignment with OSHA and FLSA standards Reduced regulatory findings	Systemic Impact Strengthened organizational ethics Alignment with Christian values of justice and service

Ethical behavior and moral decision-making

Ethical behavior and moral decision-making are instrumental in addressing issues to do with staff shortages and turnover, as these issues are usually tied to complex dilemmas. For instance, administrators are faced with balancing financial constraints and with the ethical obligation of providing safe staff levels (Borhany et al., 2023). An ethically upright administrator cannot justify decisions that compromise patient safety. Regardless of the financial struggles, ethically upright leaders still recognizes that patient well-being is non-negotiable. Moral decision decision-making involves a reflective process that weighs competing values, anticipates the consequences, and chooses an option that is morally upright. In this case, it is not about reaching perfection but rather striving to making decisions that respect human dignity and promoting the overall well-being of the patients.

Governing Legislation

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) directly addresses challenges in staffing and employee-wellbeing in healthcare setups. This legislation gives a legal framework for healthcare administrators to help manage staffing challenges especially in relation to safety and working conditions of employees (Johanes, et al., 2023). According to OSHA, healthcare employers should provide conducive workplaces free from harm to employees. This requirement is highly important in the context of staff shortages and high turnover. Cases of understaffing in hospitals leads to increased workloads and burnout increasing the chances of errors and even injuries. It is important for administrators to consider if their staffing decisions are in line with OSHA. Failure to comply with OSHA could attract legal consequences and deteriorate staff morale and increased turnover.

Integration of a Christian Worldview

The perspective of a Christian adds another layer of complexity when considering ethical behavior and decision-making in the context of staff shortage and high turnover. Healthcare administration is not seen as a managerial function but as a form of stewardship. Christian values emphasize is the importance of human dignity and worth of human life (Deweese et al., 2022). Leaders are therefore encouraged to prioritize compassion and empathy in decision-making. Also, stewardship in leadership is deeply rooted in Christian teachings. Leaders are encouraged to serve and place the needs of staff and patients above personal gain. This creates an environment of trust, collaboration, and belonging which are essential in building a resilient workforce and reducing turnover.

References

Borhany, H., Golbabaei, S., Jameie, M., & Borhani, K. (2023). Moral decision-making in healthcare and medical professions during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Trends in Psychology,  31(1), 210-230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-021-00118-7

Chen, M., Goodwin, J. S., Bailey, J. E., Bowblis, J. R., Li, S., & Xu, H. (2023). Longitudinal associations of staff shortages and staff levels with health outcomes in nursing homes.  Journal of the American Medical Directors Association,  24(11), 1755-1760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2023.04.017

Deweese, J. E., Wilcox, D., Campbell, T. C., McCormack, J., Terry, C. L., & Davis, R. L. (2022). A model for incorporating faith, values, and ethics into a healthcare provider course.  International Journal of Christianity & Education,  26(1), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1177/205699712110400

Johanes, M., Mark, M., & Steven, J. (2023). A global review of implementation of occupational safety and health management systems for the period 1970–2020.  International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics,  29(2), 821-836. https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2022.2083811