this is the initial discussion post question that the students had to reply to. Please reply to the two students, not the initial post.
Initial Post
Are there tasks or functions in your work environment that you believe are redundant, unnecessary, or repetitive or that could be done by a lesser-paid employee? Explain.
Student 1 Voss
I work for a hospital system that has created their own internal staffing agency, and I am employed by that department of the system. This requires me to work at more than one of their campuses dependent on who needs additional staff. Even though all the hospitals I work at are the same system, I notice different practices between them. I do feel there are redundant tasks at all of the facilities when it comes to charting. There are instances where I will have to chart the same information in two separate systems. But there are differences too. For example, one hospital requires the use of RF Assure multiple times in an OR case, while others use it once at the end of a case. I personally do not understand the rationale of using it throughout the case when you are also counting laps, instruments, etc., with the tech. The redundancy is not necessary and it also creates additionally charting when having to document multiple lengthy confirmation codes. Another difference between facilities is the use of nurses for jobs that could be done by lesser paid employees. I will preface this by saying I do not feel I am above any task and will do the work that is needed, but fiscally it does not make sense to me. One hospital averages 40 deliveries a month, and another averages 400 a month. Obviously with 40 deliveries a month the unit is very slow at times. Often at these times (currently it is almost daily), nurses will be floated to med/surg units to work as the unit clerk or be a sitter. When considering the budget, it would make more sense to put these RN’s on call and utilize staff for these assignments that are paid a lower hourly wage
Student 2
Lisa
The best example I can come up with for this discussion is the use of highly trained staff for jobs that do not require them to use their skill set. At our rehabilitation facility, we are low on nurse aides on all shifts. Management is now offering RNs to act as nurse aides at their RN wage. This includes acting as an aide on the nursing floor or as a desk clerk during busy shifts. I feel this is a waste of skill and is unnecessary use of wage money from a budgetary perspective. The job we all do on a daily basis should reflect the skills and knowledge we all have to care for patients. Making sure the appropriate staff are preforming job functions that best suit their qualifications should be a priority for management. They should be looking for other ways to incentivize the nurse aide staff to pick up extra shifts, change shift times for when more help is needed, or pull help from the main hospital. I know that we have float nursing staff that do come and help from the main hospital but there should be more of a push for nurse aides to be in the same program. Additionally, our organization takes a very long time to review resumes, interview, and hire new employees. Looking at this process may help bridge the employment gap with new nurse aides that may be applying for a position but since the process is long find another job before we even contact them.
