Author Question: Of the following, which is the most effective strategy that a nurse manager could employ to reduce ... (Read 194 times)

kamilo84 · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

Of the following, which is the most effective strategy that a nurse manager could employ to reduce unnecessary costs in specific healthcare settings?

a. Training nurses on accurate documentation of supplies used for patient care
b. Reducing the number of overtime hours worked by staff
c. Reducing the number of staff on a unit
d. Making decisions for patients about which care is important to their health

Question 2

Because of the complexity of reimbursement systems and its implications for the services available to patients, the nurse has a key role in:

a. Advocacy for patients with regard to services required and services utilized.
b. Increasing the volume of services and decreasing the number of patients served.
c. Accomplishing more with each visit and decreasing the volume of services used.
d. Decreasing the volume of services used and the number of return visits.

Pamela.irrgang@yahoo.com · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Reducing overtime hours needs to be carefully assessed against the reasons for overtime (e.g., staff overload, recent illnesses, increased acuity) in terms of whether this reflects an ongoing or temporary situation and therefore whether it is a necessary variance or not. Reducing staff may or may not be effective, depending on the services being provided. Making decisions for the patient misses an important opportunity to invite the patient into discussion about patient priorities and needs and relative costs of options, which may lead to improved adherence with regimens and less waste of resources. An effective approach to cost containment is ensuring that supplies are accurately accounted for and charged in a timely manner.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
The specific strategies employed by organizations and nurses to contain costs and increase revenues depend on the reimbursement system(s) within which the organization operates and therefore on whether the volume of services is increased or whether the volume of services is decreased by placing greater emphasis on efficacy in each visit and reducing the number of return visits. Because of the complexity of the reimbursement environment, the nurse is placed in a position of advocacy in terms of what the patient needs and how those needs can be best met within the funding structures.