Analysis of Potential Issues and Effects for Healthcare Team Members

by | Aug 9, 2023 | Nursing

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:
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:
o Medical assistant
o Nurse Practitioner
o Medical Director
o Practice
2. What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially dangerous patient outcomes?
3. What leadership qualities would you apply to effect positive change in the practice? Focus on the culture of the practice.
4. A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

Analysis of Potential Issues and Effects for Healthcare Team Members

Medical Assistant

Potential Effects:

  • The medical assistant’s engagement in heated arguments with colleagues can create a disruptive and hostile work environment.
  • In this specific case, the medical assistant’s failure to notify the nurse practitioner about a critically low blood pressure could have serious implications for patient safety.
  • The medical assistant’s behavior can negatively impact their professional reputation and relationships with colleagues.
  • Ethical implications: The medical assistant has a duty to prioritize patient care and safety, which they failed to uphold in this situation.

Nurse Practitioner

Potential Effects:

  • The nurse practitioner may face challenges in delivering quality patient care due to the disruptive and argumentative work environment.
  • The failure of the medical assistant to notify about the critically low blood pressure could have resulted in delayed or inadequate treatment for the patient.
  • The nurse practitioner may experience increased stress and frustration due to the lack of teamwork and communication within the practice.
  • Ethical implications: The nurse practitioner has a duty to advocate for patient safety and ensure effective communication among the healthcare team.

Medical Director

Potential Effects:

  • The medical director is responsible for overseeing the practice and ensuring smooth operations. The conflict among staff can disrupt the overall functioning of the clinic.
  • The medical director may face challenges in maintaining a positive work culture and fostering effective teamwork.
  • Ethical implications: The medical director has a responsibility to address conflicts and promote a safe and respectful work environment that prioritizes patient care.

Practice

Potential Effects:

  • The practice may experience decreased productivity and efficiency due to the ongoing conflicts among staff.
  • Patient satisfaction may be negatively impacted by the disruptive environment.
  • The practice’s reputation could be at risk if these issues are not addressed promptly.
  • Legal implications: Failure to address conflicts and ensure patient safety could result in legal consequences for the practice.

Strategies to Prevent Further Dangerous Patient Outcomes

  1. Implement Clear Communication Policies: Develop and enforce protocols that emphasize the importance of effective communication among healthcare team members. This includes reporting vital signs promptly and addressing any conflicts outside patient areas.
  2. Foster a Culture of Collaboration: Encourage teamwork and cooperation through team-building activities, training programs, and open lines of communication. Emphasize the shared goal of providing excellent patient care.
  3. Establish Regular Staff Meetings: Conduct routine meetings to discuss any concerns or issues, allowing staff members to voice their opinions and find solutions together. This promotes transparency and gives everyone an opportunity to address conflicts constructively.
  4. Provide Conflict Resolution Training: Offer training sessions on conflict resolution techniques, emphasizing active listening, empathy, and problem-solving skills. Equip staff with tools to manage disagreements effectively.
  5. Reinforce Patient Safety Protocols: Implement reminders or checklists to ensure critical patient information, such as abnormal vital signs, is promptly communicated to the appropriate healthcare provider.

Leadership Qualities for Effecting Positive Change in the Practice

  1. Effective Communication: As a leader, it is essential to communicate clearly, openly, and respectfully with all members of the healthcare team. Encourage open dialogue, active listening, and feedback.
  2. Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrate empathy, understanding, and self-awareness when dealing with conflicts. Recognize and manage your own emotions while being attuned to the emotions of others.
  3. Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where all team members feel valued and encouraged to contribute their ideas. Encourage teamwork, respect diverse perspectives, and promote a sense of shared responsibility.
  4. Accountability: Set clear expectations, hold individuals accountable for their actions, and ensure consequences for inappropriate behavior or failure to adhere to protocols.
  5. Role Model Professionalism: Lead by example through professionalism, integrity, and ethical decision-making. Display behaviors that promote patient safety, teamwork, and a positive work culture.

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