This week’s assignment is to identify the focus of your project and anticipate the ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns that can or will arise.
Define the problem
- Identify the patient-centered problem/issue/topic and the setting it will impact.
Broadly outline your proposal to address the problem/issue/topic.
Summarize ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns.
Explain why you chose the topic.
Format your assignment as a 900 word document.
All references/citations used must be within the last 3 years and posted in APA format.
** My example I had chosen was in the ICU that I work in we do self scheduling. After each nurse fills in the days they want to work the schedule is then given to the nurse manager where they adjust the schedule as they sit fit. There are times that the nurses will work a couple of day shifts, go home but have work the next night which only allows them to be off for 24 hours. The same thing may happen when you work night shifts and have to flip over to day shift within the next 24 hours** Let me know if this example works for you.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The healthcare industry is often faced with challenges, including ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns. As medical college students, it is essential to understand the importance of identifying and addressing these concerns, especially when designing solutions to problems. This assignment will require students to identify a patient-centered problem/issue and its corresponding setting, develop and outline a proposal to address the issue, and anticipate the ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns that may arise.
Q: Identify the focus of your project and anticipate the ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns that can or will arise.
A: The focus of my project is to address the scheduling system in the ICU where nurses are required to work for an extended period without adequate rest, which may compromise patient care outcomes. One of the ethical concerns of this system is that it exposes the nurses and patients to an increased risk of errors due to fatigue and exhaustion. The legal concerns include violating employment laws that mandate fair scheduling practices. Furthermore, regulatory concerns may arise if the regulatory bodies find that the hospital is consistently not adhering to the working regulations and policies.
Q: Define the problem
A: The current ICU scheduling system may cause nurses to experience fatigue, stress, and exhaustion due to inadequate rest between shifts, which may contribute to an increased risk of errors, poor patient outcomes, and a higher likelihood of burnout among staff.
Q: Identify the patient-centered problem/issue/topic and the setting it will impact.
A: The patient-centered problem is inadequate ICU nurse staffing resulting from the scheduling system, which impacts patient care outcomes. The setting is the ICU where nurses are often required to work long working hours without sufficient time to rest, which may increase their workload and decrease their job satisfaction.
Q: Broadly outline your proposal to address the problem/issue/topic.
A: The proposal is to modify the current scheduling system by incorporating a fair and equitable self-scheduling practice that provides nurses with more flexibility and autonomy to determine their working hours. This proposal will also establish a robust fatigue management program that offers training and education for nurses to reduce the risk of errors due to workplace fatigue.
Q: Summarize ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns.
A: The ethical concerns of the proposal include balancing staff autonomy and their responsibilities to patient care outcomes. The legal concerns include violating employment and labor laws if the self-scheduling system is not implemented fairly, and regulatory concerns may arise if the hospital consistently violates the established working conditions and policies.
Q: Explain why you chose the topic.
A: I chose this topic because it affects the quality of patient care outcomes, and inadequate staffing due to scheduling issues contributes to most errors in clinical settings. Addressing this issue will create a more equitable and dignified working environment for nurses and help hospitals provide optimal care for their patients while complying with employment and legal regulations.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, identifying and anticipating ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns in medical practices is crucial to providing optimal patient care and creating a conducive working environment for healthcare personnel. Addressing issues such as scheduling in ICU settings will require collaborative efforts and holistic solutions to create a more efficient and effective healthcare system.
