You are a family nurse practitioner working in an outpatient primary care office of a large hospital system. The practice has been operating for over 15 years, and many of the administrative and clinical staff were hired when the practice opened. You have been in the practice for less than 3 months. In that short amount of time, you have witnessed several of the clinical staff engaging in heated arguments with each other, sometimes in patient areas. You overhear an argument occurring today between two staff. You pick up a patient’s chart and notice a very low blood pressure that the medical assistant failed to notify you about. When you confront the MA, she states that she was going to report the vital signs to you when she became engaged in the heated argument you overheard and forgot to notify you.
Unfortunately, this pattern of behavior is not unusual in this practice. Working with staff who cannot cooperate effectively can negatively influence your ability to spend time with patients, can impede the flow of patients through the office, and could impact patient safety.
Case Study Responses:
Analyze the case study for potential issues for members of the healthcare team from office conflict. Contrast the potential effects for each member of the healthcare team based upon the required readings from the week. Discuss the potential ethical and legal implications for each of the following practice members:
Medical assistant
Nurse Practitioner
Medical Director
Practice
What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially dangerous patient outcomes?
What leadership qualities would you apply to effect positive change in the practice? Focus on the culture of the practice.
A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Maintaining a cooperative work environment is essential in healthcare settings, especially in the primary care offices that involve the health and wellbeing of patients. This case study highlights the issue of office conflict in a primary care office and its potential effects on the healthcare team members, patients, and the practice itself. The study also raises concerns regarding ethical and legal implications for the healthcare team members in such a situation. Therefore, it is important to analyze the case, discuss potential outcomes, and develop strategies to prevent further dangerous patient outcomes.
1. Analyze the case study for potential issues for members of the healthcare team from office conflict. Contrast the potential effects for each member of the healthcare team based on the required readings from the week. Discuss the potential ethical and legal implications for each of the following practice members:
Potential issues for members of the healthcare team from office conflict include decreased productivity, lack of cooperation, and resistance to change, which ultimately leads to a decrease in patient care quality. The potential effects for each member of the healthcare team vary based on their role in the practice. The medical assistant, in this case, may face ethical and legal implications for failing to report the vital signs of a patient and prioritizing arguments over patient care. The nurse practitioner may also face legal action if the patient suffers any harm due to the medical assistant’s negligence. The medical director may face ethical issues for not taking appropriate actions to ensure a peaceful work environment and addressing the issue of conflict among staff members. The practice may face legal action if the patient’s health deteriorates due to the negligence of staff members.
2. What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially dangerous patient outcomes?
To prevent further episodes of potentially dangerous patient outcomes, the practice should develop a set of guidelines and enforce a strict code of conduct to maintain a peaceful working environment. An open-door policy should be adopted to ensure communication and cooperation between staff members. Regular team-building activities and training sessions should be conducted to promote teamwork and build a healthy work environment. An online platform or software could also be used to update the vital signs of patients, ensuring that all staff members are aware of any changes.
3. What leadership qualities would you apply to effect positive change in the practice? Focus on the culture of the practice.
To effect positive change in the practice, a leader must have excellent communication skills, empathy, and the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships. The leader should create a culture of transparency, accountability, and mutual respect. Encouraging staff members to share their views and feedback openly can help create an environment of trust, collaboration, and innovation. The leader should also demonstrate flexibility and adaptability and should be willing to modify the working environment and processes based on emerging challenges and feedback. Openness to feedback and the willingness to address any issues related to conflict is crucial to building a healthy working environment. Additionally, a leader should be capable of aligning the practice’s mission and goals with the overall vision and values of the healthcare team.
