Author Question: The licensed practical/vocational nurse (LP/VN) is concerned about the recent changes at the ... (Read 57 times)

Mollykgkg · **on:** Jul 17, 2018

The licensed practical/vocational nurse (LP/VN) is concerned about the recent changes at the hospital where she works. The hospital in an attempt to cut costs increased staffing ratios.

This has led to increased stress and a feeling that clients are not being properly cared for. In addition, nurse burn out, nursing turnover, and mistakes have all increased. Which action should the nurse take next?
A) Gather information from staff nurses regarding the staffing issue, level of stress, rate of burnout, and client safety issues and contact the administration of the hospital presenting the case for better staffing ratios.
B) Visit the American Nurses Association to learn more about what changes are being made in different states to provide safe nurse to client ratios and to gather best evidence to support change.
C) Write the state legislators about producing a bill to create safe staffing ratios presenting a case for the needed change based upon increased staffing leads to nurse burnout, increased nurse turnover, and increase in errors leading to a decrease in client safety.
D) Contact the professional organization the nurse belongs to about the situation and ask for their help.

Question 2

A newly graduated licensed practical/vocational nurse (LP/VN) learned about causes for the current nursing shortage. How can the nurse best reduce her chances of leaving the profession?

A) Work at the institution that offers the highest wages and the best benefits.
B) Interview with institutions that offer tuition pay back.
C) Try another position at another institution at the first sign of job dissatisfaction.
D) Recognize and act upon early signs of burnout and compassion fatigue.

IRincones · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 17, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ans: B
Feedback:
The first step in the process is to learn more about staffing ratios via the American Nurses Association Web site. There the nurse will find research articles to support adopting safe staffing ratios in order to decrease errors with client care, decrease nurse burnout, and increase retention of nurses. After this first step, the nurse may gather information from staff nurses regarding the issues related to the change in staffing and take the concerns and the research findings to administration to present the case. Next the nurse could contact the professional organization and state legislators to exercise political voice.

Answer to Question 2

Ans: D
Feedback:
Causes for nurses leaving the profession include job dissatisfaction, nurse burnout, and compassion fatigue. The nurse's best way to help decrease leaving the profession is by recognizing and acting upon the early signs of burnout and compassion fatigue. Other interventions the nurse could do to help decrease exiting nursing is to communicate with staff and management to decrease bullying and be active to improve the work conditions on the particular unit the nurse works. High wages and quality benefits do not guarantee happiness because other work conditions may be unbearable, such as staffing, job expectations, lack of mentoring and support, etc. Tuition payback may help lessen the financial burden, but the nurse may not be happy at the institution if other work-related issues are unbearable. Switching to another institution is not always the best solution because learning to work through conflicts and reach a resolution is a lifelong skill nurses that stick with the profession have used.