This just requires a response to what the student wrote You are a family nurse

 This just requires a response to what the student wrote

You are a family nurse practitioner working in an outpatient primary care office of an extensive 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 inpatient areas. You overhear an argument occurring today between two staff. You pick up a patient’s chart and notice a shallow blood pressure that the medical assistant failed to notify you about. When you confront the MA, she states that she would 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, impede patient flow through the office, and impact patient safety. 

Case Study Responses: 

1. Analyze the case study for potential issues for healthcare team members from office conflict. Contrast the potential effects for each healthcare team member based on 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
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.

Introduction:

This case study investigates the challenges posed by office conflict in an outpatient primary care practice and its potential impact on healthcare. The case study states, “You have been in the practice for three months. In that short time, you have witnessed several of the clinical staff engaging in heated arguments with each other.” According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, “When conflict becomes persistent or systematic, it may be regarded as abuse or violence.”

1. Discuss the potential ethical and legal implications for each of the following practice members:

Medical Assistant:

Several issues were noted in the medical assistant’s actions.

Ethical Implication: Failure to promptly notify the nurse practitioner about critical patient information disregards the principles of patient-centered care and professional responsibility. Workplace bullying, burnout, and work-life imbalance have been associated with medical errors. The detrimental impacts of workplace bullying are subtle and complex to measure, yet they are widely acknowledged to encompass physical health issues and psychological damage (Chan et al., 2021). At an organizational level, workplace bullying often results in increased rates of resignation or premature retirement, with limited safeguards in place to protect the victims from such mistreatment in the workplace (Chan et al., 2021).

Legal Implication: Neglecting to communicate vital medical information may be deemed malpractice, endangering patient safety. Withholding relevant information from patients violates their right to informed decision-making (Ewuoso et al., 2021).

Nurse Practitioner:

Ethical implication: The nurse practitioner must provide competent and timely patient care. The delayed intervention due to the medical assistant’s failure may raise ethical concerns regarding the patient’s well-being and the duty to act in the patient’s best interest.

Legal Implication: If patient harm or adverse outcomes occur due to delayed intervention, the nurse practitioners may face legal repercussions related to patient safety and the standards of care.

Medical Director:

Ethical Implications: As a leader, the medical director must foster a culture of respect, collaboration, and patient safety. Failure to address the ongoing office conflicts may raise ethical concerns regarding the duty to promote a positive work environment and optimize patient outcomes. If leadership avoids taking responsibility and intervening in this process, there is a risk of further escalation and detrimental outcomes (Hamre et al., 2022).

Legal Implications: If patient harm occurs due to unresolved conflicts or lack of action from the medical director, the practice may face legal consequences related to negligence and inadequate supervision.

Practice:

Ethical Implications: Organizations have duties to patients and staff to promote awareness of threats to safety that bullying and other forms of disrespect create, establish transparent processes by which incidents that threaten safety can be safely reported, and review and respond to incidents and patterns of unprofessional behavior equally and effectively (Carlasare et al., 2021). The practice is ethically responsible for ensuring a safe and supportive working environment conducive to high-quality patient care. Failure to address office conflict may compromise both staff well-being and patient outcomes.

Legal Implications: Inadequate management of ongoing conflicts could result in legal consequences related to workplace negligence, compromised patient safety, or a hostile work environment.

1. What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially dangerous patient outcomes?
2. Leadership behaviors through theory-driven interventions, periodic leadership assessment, and implementation of leadership development activities (Labrague & Obeidat, 2021). Empowering work conditions, providing adequate coaching and mentorship to all staff, and implementing work-family-friendly policies in the workplace (Labrague & Obeidat, 2021).
3. Establish strong communication channels: Interprofessional communication and teamwork in healthcare practices will help prevent medication errors, treat patients faster, and provide better patient outcomes overall (Sezgin & Bektas, 2023). Implementing a standardized and reliable system for timely communication of critical patient information between the medical assistant and nurse practitioner.
4. Supportive work environment: Foster a positive practice culture by promoting open communication, mutual respect, and teamwork among staff members. Encourage regular job performance feedback and recognize achievement to improve job satisfaction and morale (Suprapto et al., 2023).
5.  What leadership qualities would you apply to effect positive change in the practice? Focus on the culture of the practice.
6. Visionary Leadership: Develop a clear vision for a harmonious and patient-centered practice culture, emphasizing culture, emphasizing open communication, collaboration, and patient safety.
7. Effective Communication: Foster transparent and frequent communication among staff members to address issues, provide feedback, and ensure everyone feels heard and valued.
8. Conflict Resolution Skills: Use effective conflict resolution techniques to address ongoing conflicts and find mutually agreeable solutions promptly.
9. Role Modeling: Lead by example, demonstrating professionalism, respect, and active engagement in patient care to inspire and set a positive tone for the practice,

(Ledlow et al., 2023).

References:

AMA J Ethics.(2021)Whose responsibility is it to address bullying in health care? ;23(12):E931-936. doi: 10.1001/amajethics.2021.931.

Chan, M. F., Al Balushi, A. A., Al‐Adawi, S., Alameddine, M., Al Saadoon, M., & Bou‐Karroum, K. (2022). Workplace bullying, occupational burnout, work–life imbalance and perceived medical errors among nurses in Oman: a cluster analysis. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(6), 1530-1539.

Ewuoso, C., Hall, S., & Dierickx, K. (2021). How do healthcare professionals respond to ethical challenges regarding information management? A review of empirical studies. Global bioethics = Problemi di bioetica, 32(1), 67–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/11287462.2021.1909820

Hamre, K. V., Fauske, M. R., Reknes, I., Nielsen, M. B., Gjerstad, J., & Einarsen, S. V. (2022). They are preventing and neutralizing the escalation of workplace bullying: The role of conflict management climate. International journal of bullying prevention, 4(4), 255-265.

Labrague, L. J., & Obeidat, A. A. (2022). Transformational leadership as a mediator between work–family conflict, nurse‐reported patient safety outcomes, and job engagement. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 54(4), 493-500.

Ledlow, G. R., Bosworth, M., & Maryon, T. (2023). Leadership for health professionals: Theory, skills, and applications. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (n.d). Violence or Conflict?

 https://wwwn.cdc.gov/WPVHC/Nurses/Course/Slide/Unit4

Sezgin, M. G., & Bektas, H. (2023). Effectiveness of interprofessional simulation-based education programs to improve teamwork and communication for students in the healthcare profession: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nurse Education Today, 120, 105619.

Suprapto, S., Lalla, N. N., Mulat, T. C., & Arda, D. (2023). Human resource development and job satisfaction among nurses. Int. J. Public Health, 12(3), 1056-1063.