Risk management on healthcare organizations plays a crucial role in enhancing patient safety and reducing medical errors in the nursing processes hence improving patient care. The health care risk management program needs to be integrated into the communication process of the respective health care organization. Clear channels of communication in the health care facility are substantial in improving patient safety and care well (Carroll, 2009). In addition, it enhances coordination among the health care staff hence improving the quality of patient care. As a result, the educational risk management program involves creating awareness of the importance of effective communication systems in healthcare reflecting on the organization’s objective; maintaining patient safety in the healthcare facility and providing quality patient care.
Rationale
The current risk management plan has not integrated the improvement of communication systems in the healthcare facility since it concentrates on healthcare authority, policies and objectives governing the healthcare environment. However, the plan omits the most significant aspect that is crucial for the patient’s safety in the facility. However, implementation of the effective communication system will improve patient care through minimizing staff movements from one department to the other, there will be increased patient attention and effective coordination in the healthcare environment (Ellis et. al, 2008). Nursing in the healthcare facilities is under regulations, standards, and policies that assure safe and appropriate nursing care. As a consequence, improving communication systems in the health care organization will improve nursing care in the facilities (Shohet & Lavy, 2004) .
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Support
Patient care in the healthcare facilities involves different staff including nurses, laboratory technicians, physicians, and other personnel in the healthcare system. As a consequence, the number of individuals who need to communicate regarding the care of patients increases as presented in the chart below
(Ray & Miller, 1990)
.
In return, the communication process is subject to increased movements, risk of patient records, increased patient’s suffering due to delays among other incidences that threaten patient care.
Therefore, the need to improve the communication systems that will connect the patient to other health care staff in the facility supports the current educational program on risk management in the organization. As a consequence, effective communication channels will facilitate the provision of safe health care and promote a conducive work environment in the healthcare facility (Ledema, 2007) .
Implementation
In order to implement the communication systems, the following steps will be necessary.
Conduct a general assessment in the healthcare facility and identify the existing channels of communication between the healthcare staff.
Consider the best communication system that will improve the transfer of information in the organization.
Evaluate the cost of integration of the communication system in the facility.
Integrate the communication system in the existing communication system advancing the outdated systems.
Facilitate staff training on the usage of the new communication system to ensure every member of the healthcare system is familiar with the system to minimize the chances of error (Ledema, 2007) .
Challenges
The educational risk management program may face challenges such as the cost of facilitating the entire program and implementation of the communicati0on system as a risk management approach. Also, staff training will consume time necessary for providing patient care hence posing a challenge (Leonard et. al, 2004) .
Evaluation
The proposed risk management program will require time management for staff in the healthcare organization to ensure that they all benefit from the educational program. Therefore, training sessions will be planned alternatively, where staff will attend in shifts. Also, the health care organization will need to allocate resources necessary for supporting the educational program and integration of the communication system for improving patient care and safety.
Opportunities
Henceforth, after the integration of the advanced communication system, the health care facility needs to review its objectives and establish the scope that will encapsulate all the health care services in one program. A risk identification program is recommended for the health care facility, which will be responsible for event identification and reporting under the policies supported by the nursing care standards. Also, the worker’s compensation program needs to be addressed in the future to improve the morale of staff in the health care facility.
References
Carroll, R. (Ed.). (2009). Risk management handbook for health care organizations (Vol. 30). John Wiley & Sons.
Ellis, D., Higgs, R., King, M., Teixeira, T., Tzanev, T., Wogan, D., & Weiner, H. (2008). U.S. Patent No. 7,440,905 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Iedema, R. (Ed.). (2007). The discourse of hospital communication: Tracing complexities in contemporary health organizations . Springer.
Leonard, M., Graham, S., & Bonacum, D. (2004). The human factor: the critical importance of effective teamwork and communication in providing safe care. BMJ Quality & Safety , 13 (suppl 1), i85-i90.
Ray, E. B., & Miller, K. I. (1990). Communication in health care organizations. Communication and Health: Systems and applications , 92-107.
Shohet, I. M., & Lavy, S. (2004). Healthcare facilities management: state of the art review. Facilities , 22 (7/8), 210-220.
