Nurses must always be alert and focused to provide quality care to the patients. However, this is not always the case because of the problem of burnout. The issue is common in health care settings, with effects that include impaired concentration, forgetfulness, depression, and anxiety. Burnout is defined as the mental, emotional, and physical fatigue (Mudallal, Othman, & Al Hassan, 2017). In nursing, the problem has been evolving over a period of time. It is common among the professionals because of the demands of their work and the fact that they are expected to work for as long as 12 hours every day. The long hours of operation make it hard for them to take a rest, perform self-care, or have time with family. As a result, even when coming back to the next shift, nurses will not have taken time to relax and replenish their energy. Burnout does not only affect the nurses, but also the wellbeing of the patients who are under their care.
The problem is identified within the health care sector because of the increasing medical errors made by the nurses and the intentions to leave the career within a year of employment. When a nurse comes to work while overly exhausted, there is an increased risk of making a mistake in providing care to the patients. Medical erring, including giving the wrong drugs is an indication of lack of concentration based on mental and physical exhaustion (Hall, Johnson, Watt, Tsipa, & O’Connor, 2016). Besides, there is an increase in nurse turnout and intentions to quit the career because of the demands. Anxiety and depression are among the side effects of the problem that are causing nurses to leave the career earlier than expected. The issue becomes worse when the health care system is experiencing shortage of the nurses (Converso, Loera, Viotti, & Martini, 2015). The situation makes the remaining nurses work even more hours to cater for the demand, increasing the chances of more burnout. The result is a cycle that is very challenging to break.
The main goal of the project is to investigate the role of effective leadership in addressing the problem of burnout within the first year of the change. The leader is mandated with the responsibility of ensuring that the wellbeing of the nurses and the patients is maintained. Positive leadership provides a working environment where the needs and wellbeing of the care providers and recipients are met (Laschinger & Fida, 2014). Thus, the project is based on the assumption that leadership is all that needs to change in order to reduce the level of burnout amongst the nurses.
The new approach will ensure a thorough investigation of the extent of the problem and the steps that should be put in place to handle it. An evaluation carried out after one year of the new strategies in dealing with the workforce is anticipated to reveal positive results. The change will ensure that the nurses are working in a comfortable and safe environment and that the patients are receiving care from individuals who are alert and focused. The move will also ensure an increase in the level of job and patient satisfaction (Hunsaker, Chen, Maughan & Heaston, 2015). The initiative will reduce the level of staff turnover, which is at the core of the problem.
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