Answer for NRS 465 Benchmark – Capstone Project Topic Selection and Approval
Answer for NRS 465 Benchmark – Capstone Project Topic Selection and Approval
Capstone projects allow healthcare organizations and providers, especially advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to implement interventions based on evidence and improve care delivery. Burnout remains a critical safety and quality of care issue for nurses in all care settings, from acute to normal care settings (AACCN, 2020). As such, interventions to reduce and prevent burnout are critical for nurses and healthcare organizations to address the issue. The purpose of this paper is to discuss interventions aimed at reducing and preventing burnout among nurses as a capstone project. The paper selects the use of mindfulness and self-care techniques as ways that can help nurses to combat burnout.
Problem or Issue as focus on the Change Proposal
The issue of focus is burnout among nurses which happens due to several factors like stressful workdays, increased workload due to an endemic nursing shortage, and long hours with unpredictable shifts or work schedules. Burnout affects nurses at the organizational and individual level as they take all their efforts in caring for patients with reports indicating that close to 20% of nurses leave the profession due to the problem. Again, close to 30% of nurses want to change to less stressful nursing roles and positions (AACCN, 2020). Therefore, burnout is a leadership issue as organizations across the healthcare sector develop evidence-based approaches to address it. The problem requires strategic planning and policy development aimed at the retention of nurses and improving their workplace conditions. It also requires effective management to mitigate its causes and risks for occurrence.
Setting, Context, and Affected Population
Burnout is a problem that occurs in virtually all healthcare settings, from hospitals to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The context of the problem is the need to meet care demands with a limited nursing workforce. The current nursing shortage also exacerbates the situation as nurses leave the profession for different reasons like lateral violence. The population impacted by the issue includes nurses, nurse assistants, and even patients and their families (Othman et al., 2023). Nurses offer care and are integral to the overall safety of patients. Therefore, burnout affects the quality of care and increases susceptibility to adverse events like medication errors.
Implications on Nursing Practice
Burnout is a serious nursing practice challenge with significant implications for the providers and patients. In their article, Ryu et al. (2021) observe that burnout impacts nurses’ physical and mental health leading to diminished job satisfaction levels and motivation. Burnout also contributes to poor patient outcomes and care delivery. Nurses experiencing burnout are susceptible to patient safety issues as they lack sufficient concentration levels. The current nursing shortage emanates partly from the burnout that nurses experience prompting their turnover and leaving the profession altogether (Williams et al., 2021). The implication is that the nursing practice suffers as it loses competent and well-trained qualified healthcare providers. Jun et al. (2021) observe that nurse burnout leads to worsening safety and quality of care, reduced patient satisfaction, and lower commitment to the organization. Kelly et al. (2021) opine that burnout increases turnover and the cost of recruiting new nurses. The implication is that nursing practice in an organization is hampered and adversely affected.
Priority for the Community/Clinical Setting
Burnout is a priority issue as it affects the quality of care and patient safety. Burnout exposes nurses to poor care delivery and susceptibility to mistakes as they lack concentration in their work. Burnout increases operational costs as nurses leave the organization leading to more recruitment to replace those going away (Linton et al., 2020). Furthermore, preventing burnout is critical to improving patient outcomes and lowering the burden on limited resources, especially within the site. The issue is a priority to enhance the retention of nurses and delivery of quality care for millions of patients in the healthcare system.
Organizational Structure and Impact on Care Coordination
The practicum site is a busy hospital and part of a national health system whose mission is to offer the best quality care to patients irrespective of their status with a vision of being a center of health excellence through leveraging its core resources. The organization’s values are centered on patient safety, inherent dignity, and respect. The leadership structure entails a management board, a chief executive