The specific environment I am discussing is the workspace, particularly a healthcare institution. Here, there are increased expectations on the part of the workforce in this space because of the need for desirable healthcare outcomes and, to some extent, access to care by the community served. One of the most critical objectives in different workplaces today is increased production. An essential human resource management trend being witnessed in different spaces is ensuring a healthy and vibrant workforce. Even with the necessary skills and talent, a workforce whose psychological wellbeing is not ensured is unlikely to achieve workplace objectives. Most importantly, given the possibility of burnout in different healthcare settings, a happy workforce is vital in overcoming the various physical and psychological challenges of working in such a critical environment. The nurses, physicians, and patients are the individuals found in a healthcare environment. Medical students are also found in this environment. At John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, treating patients, referrals, and giving health-related information is coupled with medical research.
Applications of Positive Psychology
Psychological and social factors are instrumental in the patient's healing process and healthcare delivery and coordination of a nurse or physician. Particularly, given the healthcare emergencies and intricate cases referred to John Hopkins, it is impossible to overlook the need for positivism. It is also a concept that can be developed among the patients, giving them hope about the possibility of improvement, especially if they are suffering from terminal illnesses( Macaskill, 2016) Additionally, during the Covid-19 pandemic, where there has been a surge of patients in this hospital, healthcare practitioners have been overwhelmed. Without positivism, they are likely to be easily worn out and unable to tend to the thousands of patients in critical condition. Character strength is also an indispensable element. Today, ethics and evidence-based care are instrumental in healthcare delivery. Healthcare workers are increasingly being required to work in a way that ensures evidence-based outcomes as well as offer patient-centered care. Character strength is, therefore, necessary to ensure desirable results Lee (Duckworth et al., 2016). Empathy is another principle that is instrumental in successfully undertaking different duties in this field. Individuals from diverse backgrounds with dynamic healthcare issues visit this institution. Some of them have comorbid conditions that take a toll on their emotional and mental wellbeing. Being empathetic to individuals in such situations helps them better respond to medication and hold on to hope about their recovery. It also allows the nurse or physician to better understand the patient because empathy is a prerequisite to creating a rapport between the two parties. Confidence, physical and mental wellbeing are also critically relevant in John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. Confidence is primarily necessary because of the nature of intricate medical research that healthcare practitioners impact in some cases.
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Additionally, it is instrumental in making the necessary diagnoses and deciding a course of action in complicated cases. On the other hand, the wellbeing of the individual is instrumental in positively offering healthcare advice and care to critically ill individuals. It is impossible to positively influence patients if the healthcare worker is not stable physically and emotionally. In looking at another lens in which positive psychology is to be developed in patients, it helps them deal with mental difficulties, positively influences medical adherence, and improves their mood.
Applications in this Setting
There are many strengths and limitations involved in applying the positive psychology principle in John Hopkins Hospital, some of which result in better coordination of care and desirable outcomes and others that derail the above. One of the advantages is increased healthcare coordination and hence, revamped primary healthcare access. One of the significant issues used to measure an institution's performance is access to care by healthcare seekers. With a confident, empathetic workforce, this positive energy is likely to attract more individuals into seeking care in this environment. Another advantage is reduced cases of adverse health outcomes and complications. Some of the most prevalent issues in healthcare issues are nosocomial infections, slips and falls, and botched operations. When the nurse or physician's emotional and physical wellbeing is taken care of, they are likely to avoid such undesirable outcomes.
Additionally, with the Covid-19 pandemic, many hospitals, including John Hopkins, are overwhelmed with an increased number of patients. Healthcare practitioners now have to be extra careful not to get infected and serve as many patients as possible who are in critical condition. With positive psychological principles, they are likely to hold on even when they are overwhelmed. This is, therefore, instrumental in the effective handling of emergencies and healthcare crises. It is also worth noting that such positive energy is likely to be transferred to the patients, hence, a favorable indirect implication on their wellbeing.
One of the disadvantages is the possibility of negatively influencing medical errors. Overconfidence is likely to affect healthcare givers to be less vigilant about their diagnosis or prescriptions. Medical errors are responsible for a significant number of deaths and irreversible complications among some patients. Another disadvantage is emotional baggage on the side of the provide. In some cases, being empathetic and being able to create a good relationship between the patient and the nurse results in the patient opening up about their healthcare struggles, some of which might be emotionally disturbing to the provider. This might, in turn, influence the emotional wellbeing of the provider. Another subtle con is the possibility of healthcare practitioners masking their issues, hence, inability to deal with them early enough when intervention works best. Healthcare workers are also human beings with low moments and, in some cases, negative emotions. In an environment where positive psychology is significantly emphasized, such individuals might mask their feelings or physical and psychological instabilities to continue offering care even when they are on the verge of a breakdown. This might have a long-lasting mental impact.
Research Supporting the Application of Positive Psychology in the Setting
Macaskill (2016) asserts that positive psychology has become instrumental in the improvement of the health of the medical population. This form of intervention has been referred to as Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) by the author. Based on this article, this form of intervention has been applied to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. While this approach presents a significant challenge to psychologists in these settings, it has been proven to effectively improve individuals' health. Lee Duckworth et al. (2016) assert that positive intervention has been instrumental in improving health outcomes, especially in people undergoing therapy. The main focus given is individuals with clinical diagnoses such as depression. Although there might be positive outcomes due to the application of such psychology, there is a need for further research to ascertain its advantages.
Conclusion
The use of positive psychology is likely to influence my productivity at school and future workplace positively. Having a strong character will ensure I am successful regardless of the hurdles prevalent in such spaces. This is because such a trait will be instrumental in strategizing around the challenges and pivoting to new strategies when the chosen ones are not effective enough. Positive psychology is also likely to influence my family through the transfer of positive energy. When I am happy, empathetic, and aware of other family members' wellbeing, I am likely to make them feel cared about and loved. Most notably, with physical and emotional wellbeing, I am likely to effectively respond to challenges in my environment, hence, the possibility to flourish amidst hardship.
References
Lee Duckworth, A., Steen, T. A., & Seligman, M. E. (2005). Positive psychology in clinical practice. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. , 1 , 629-651.
Macaskill, A. (2016, September). Review of positive psychology applications in clinical medical populations. In Healthcare (Vol. 4, No. 3, p. 66). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
