NUR 621 Your staff have come to you with several requests for new equipment for the nursing unit
NUR 621 Your staff have come to you with several requests for new equipment for the nursing unit
NUR 621 Your staff have come to you with several requests for new equipment for the nursing unit
In some work settings nurse managers have a high influence on the units budget, and are able to make request and changes based on the units needs (Penner, 2017). When nurses come with request for different supples the nurse manager must look at what is most important and help increase quality care in the patients. I would think that it should not only be up to the nurse manager on what equipment is needed over the other. First we should look at the cost of the equipment and see if there is extra money in the budget to pay for the asked equipment. I would then take this to our Unit Council so that the entire team has a say in what they feel they need first if the budget allows. Unit Council gives employees a say and is important for moral of the staff (Shiskowsky & Krugman, 2016). It takes the decision-making process from authorative to a shared process (Shiskowsky & Krugman, 2016). The nurse manager could also look into budget adjustments and cancel things that are not needed at this time in order to have the funds for the new equipment (Penner, 2017). Explaining cost to the council and what equipment can be afford now as apposed to the other ones to be budgeted for the following year, can help staff feel like they get a say in what they feel is needed first and what can wait.
References
Penner, S. J. (2017). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
Shiskowsky, K., & Krugman, M. (2016, January 13). Jump-starting unit-based councils. American Nurse. https://www.myamericannurse.com/jump-starting-unit-based-councils/
Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our Verified MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS NUR 621 Your staff have come to you with several requests for new equipment for the nursing unit:
Staff have amazing ideas and always want the best for their patients, and bring products forward they have seen in other facilities, on social media sites or online they believe will increase the quality of patient care. A Capital purchase is a large purchase or special purchase that most likely has not been budgeted for in the annual budget. As indicated in our textbook many organizations create a special purchase budget, this is a budget created for special produces or programs that may occur during the year that are not planned (Penner, 2016). Other times a capital budget is for long-term investments that are at high-cost Capital budgets can be large items from building to equipment for a unit. When a decision is being made for capital items to be purchased for a unit a nurse manager should receive input from staff to help triage the items to be purchased as well as involving the nurses in the grant writing process to create some ownership (Penner, 2016). Many factors need to be taken into consideration when a capital purchase is being made, especially when finances are tight, this is where politics and great communication come in.
First the review of the product for quality, safety and cost effectiveness and if the purchase is very necessary for the functioning of the unit.
Second the reduce of impact on the unit and or return on investment should be investigated, is a capital item will save time, improve quality or have the ability to bill for the process can aid in offsetting the cost of the item.
Third a business case can be developed to present these factors to senior leadership on improvement this item will have for the organization.
Nurses should be included in the budgeting process; this helps prevent the manager from carrying the burden of saying no. Through Education to the staff of the process, what is entailed in the capital process as will involving them in the process. Helping nurses understand the magnitude of the capital process and expenditures can emphasize the need to nurses of the process and the implication this purchase can print is a leadership skill that helps serve the nurses and organization to how the process affects every aspect of the organization (Murray, 2017).
Murray, M. E. (2017, April 20). Budgeting, productivity, and costing out nursing. Nurse Key. https://nursekey.com/budgeting-productivity-and-costing-out-nursing/
Penner, S. J. (2016). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders, third edition (3rd ed.) [e-book]. Springer Publishing LLC.
I would go about determining what the most important request was by determining if the request effects patient’s care and if it is detrimental to life. I would look at how often the equipment was used and if something else could be used as a substitute. I would investigate if purchasing the equipment was cost effective. “Three important activities in managing a budget are monitoring, investigation, and control. Monitoring involves carefully reviewing the budget report to identify any budget concerns by comparing the budgeted amount to actual performance, investigation examines events, processes, or staff performance that might be reasons for budget concerns, and determines whether the budget concern can be controlled, and budget control applies management strategies to address and resolve the budget concern that was identified in monitoring.” (Penner, 2016)
I would research all requests for equipment and compare usage, and demand. I would consider what could happen if the equipment was not available to determine if staff could go without it. Some equipment is considered a privilege. For example, to have an automated blood pressure cuff is a luxury because you can take a blood pressure manually. I would utilize a priority matrix. “Justifying a capital budget is using a priority matrix that helps identify the level of priority of a project or capital expenditure.” (Penner, 2016) The priority matrix is a simple grid incorporating the need or importance.
I would also check into using a rolling forecast for future operational budgets. Rolling forecasts increase agility. “You don’t just develop a plan and lock in on it, “You keep revisiting the plan as changes materialize.” (Eramo, 2021) I think that the rolling forecast would be very useful in todays time considering the pandemic. It is hard to make a budget when you can’t determine day to day infection rates. Rolling forecasts allow for error and enable you to add or substract from the budget depending on the need.
Eramo, L. (2021). 40% of hospitals reconsidering traditional budgeting amid pandemic: HFMA poll. Hfm (Healthcare Financial Management), 75(3), 40–43.
Penner, S. (2016). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
With the constant change in healthcare, advances in technology, evidence-based practice, the rise of new diseases, etc., there are times when equipment needs upgrading, changing, or warrants new additions to supplies in healthcare organizations. Priority should always be given to patient safety, patient satisfaction, and efficiency aligned with the organization’s vision, goals, and mission regarding equipment and resources for the day-to-day functioning healthcare units. With the above said, managers must balance the budget and the need for new equipment and resources. With the request of several new types of equipment from staff, the first thing this writer would do regarding the staff’s request is to look at the problems or issues the need for new equipment is causing and the rationales for the new equipment. Staff is the backbone of organizations, and as a manager, one must take staff’s requests into consideration and feedback from staff. The next step is to prioritize the equipment into categories from the least to the most important. The third step is to look at the department’s budget to see if the request for new equipment can be accommodated or the budget can be adjusted to reflect the new request based on past reports and new projections. As the textbook states, budgets are essential in managing healthcare resources and have three primary functions of monitoring, investigation, and control (Penner, 2017). After gathering the data needed to decide on the purchase of new equipment, this writer would have a staff meeting to discuss findings and the way forward with the decisions. Plans would also be made regarding future purchases of the lesser priority equipment, with follow-ups and staff updates through staff meetings.
Reference
Penner, S. J. (2017). Economics and Financial Management for Nurses and Nurse Leaders (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company. ISBN: 978-0-8261-6001-0
The first step that I would take is to investigate and find out if the request for the new equipment will be of any benefit to the unit. Will it make it improve on the healthcare that is being provided to the patients or not. Secondly, I would find out if the budget has additional money set aside that would enable us to afford the new equipment. Thirdly, I would do some research to determine if the is any substitute equipment that is of lower price and good quality that would do the same job. Fourthly, I look for equipment that is of a cheaper brand but of high quality that fits the specs of the requested equipment and also one that can meet the needs of the unit (Trombetta, 2007).
In regards to the operational budget of the unit, I would determine if the budget has enough money to buy and maintain the new equipment. I would also determine if the equipment can be operated at a reduced cost. Thirdly, I would determine if the budget can account for any future maintenance cost in terms of repairs incase the unit breaks down. I would also determine if the budget can maintain the operational cost of the new equipment i.e., if the equipment requires a technician to operate it and if the budget has enough resources set aside to pay for his wages (Wanderoth, 1998).
Reference:
Wenderoth, M. (1998). Medical investment alternatives. China Business Review, 25(6), 47.
Trombetta, B. (2007). Category Captain Management: A New Approach for Healthcare Suppliers to Partner with Their Hospital Customers. Journal of Hospital Marketing & Public Relations, 17(2), 61–69.
Determining the importance of new equipment request is based on several factors such as, does it improve performance of either the staff, patient, or business. It needs to be determined if the equipment is replacing faulty or failing equipment. Is the equipment a regulation requirement to ensure or improve patient safety and patient outcomes?
The operating budget consists of the day-to-day expenses of running and maintaining the current business. When adding capital expenditures there needs to be awareness of high-cost and long-term expenditures prior to the integration of the requested equipment. There must be strategies that filter out political biases especially when resources are limited (Penner, 2017). It is important to implement capital budgeting policies that are orchestrated by individuals such as executives, department managers, and purchasing directors. These individuals create long-term budget goals for expensive equipment that is calculated several years before the purchase takes place. Preparing in advance for high ticket items allows the healthcare organization to plan with the different departments and key personnel to be able to effectively allocate the funds needed. The committee needs to determine if the equipment purchase will improve operations or is there a financial jeopardy related to cost or the potential revenue that it could generate. Strategic planning is most important when developing and planning healthcare budgets. The strategic plan is a representation of the “organizational financial management and performance for several fiscal years into the future” (Penner, 2017, p.173).
Penner, S. J. (2017). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.