Facility Design

1. Discuss the NFPA National Fire Protection Association NFPA Life Safety 101 Safety Code for health care occupancy?

2. Discuss some of the federal, state, and local regulations that might apply to a new health care facility you are planning?  

3. In this chapter the health system faced  a number of major issues:

i. Diminishing operating margins

ii. Acute nursing shortage

iii. Fluctuating market dynamics

iv. Licensed bed complement that did not reflect reality

v. Aging facilities

PICK one and discuss.

4. I am sure this will be controversial --but we are all here to learn.  I agree that in the near future we will have a nursing shortage.  The nursing schools and governmental grants are not available at this time because we cannot validate a nursing shortage. When we advertise new grad training programs --we gets 100's to a 1000 applicants -----most of which have no job.  They are RN's with AA degrees as well as BSN who have passed their NCLEX exams but cannot find a job in an acute hospital setting.

WHEN there is a NURSING SHORTAGE-------you will see a few things that you do not see now:

?    The US government declares a nursing shortage based on the number of vacancies and that RN's in the US are able to work without a problem and OPENS the ability for foreign nurses to immigrate to the US through VISA's   This program is currently CLOSED because US trained RN's are unable to find jobs.  When US trained RN's are not working --foreign VISA's for RN's are not allowed.

?  ?  Hospitals will travel oversees to compatible RN sites (the Philippines, Canada, etc) and recruit RN's to be "travel RN's or staff RN's in acute health care settings/ hospitals."

? ?  Increase funds are alloted for nursing education in the public setting (community college, university/college) in ALL settings. More grants for RN education, more classes, more access to programs.  Advertisement to recruit nursing is rampart, programs are covered by grants and require minimal costs. There would be financial support to nurses for education.

We do not have a validated nursing shortage at this time.  You may be in an organization that is cutting costs and not wanting to hire nurses -----that is not a shortage, it's a choice.  We have a school on the West Coast  that is charging $150,000 for a BSN RN nursing education (prerequisites and RN program).  Because many cannot get into the RN programs due to only those with high GPA's being admitted with minimal slots------some are taking this route.   Why are schools not hiring AA RN's?  Because they want BSN RN's or they want experienced RN's.  For example --it costs me about $50,000 to train a L&D RN-----I can pay $10,000 sign on bonus to an experienced RN who can work immediately and save $40,000.  It's more cost effective sometimes NOT to train......it's the choice of the hospital administration -most do a combination of both to have some experienced RN's to support the new graduates. What reactions do you have to the ideas they presented? Include examples from the course readings or your own experience to support your perspective, and raise questions to continue the dialogue. 100 to 150 words

5. Discuss ways you plan to improve patient satisfaction in your facility plan?