NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Sample Answer for NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE Included After Question

How healthy is your workplace?

You may think your current organization operates seamlessly, or you may feel it has many issues. You may experience or even observe things that give you pause. Yet, much as you wouldn’t try to determine the health of a patient through mere observation, you should not attempt to gauge the health of your work environment based on observation and opinion. Often, there are issues you perceive as problems that others do not; similarly, issues may run much deeper than leadership recognizes.

There are many factors and measures that may impact organizational health. Among these is civility. While an organization can institute policies designed to promote such things as civility, how can it be sure these are managed effectively? In this Discussion, you will examine the use of tools in measuring workplace civility.

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare:

  • Review the Resources and examine the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory, found on page 20 of Clark (2015).
  • Review and complete the Work Environment Assessment Template in the Resources.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 7

Post a brief description of the results of your Work Environment Assessment. Based on the results, how civil is your workplace? Explain why your workplace is or is not civil. Then, describe a situation where you have experienced incivility in the workplace. How was this addressed? Be specific and provide examples.

BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 7

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by sharing ideas for how shortcomings discovered in their evaluations and/or their examples of incivility could have been managed more effectively.

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

The health of a workplace has a significant effect on employee performance and productivity. A work environment assessment was done on my practice site using the Clarks Healthy Workplace Inventory. The organization scored 54, which translates into an unhealthy organization as per Clarks Healthy Workplace Inventory assessment. The organization’s score in of the assessment items were somewhat untrue and neutral.  

Some things surprised me about the results of the work environment assessment. One of them is the organization’s score. I believed that most of the staff in the organization perceived it a healthy workplace. The leadership and management pride themselves in implementing staff-centered interventions that contribute to their empowerment and performance. However, it appears that the staff have contrary opinions and experiences about these interventions. The other thing that surprised me from the assessment is that most of the employees reported that they have low level of job satisfaction, morale, and engagement. Employee job satisfaction is a crucial ingredient for the delivery of high-quality, safe, and efficient care in healthcare (Giménez Lozano et al., 2021). However, it was surprising that most employees reported being demotivated yet the organization’s statistics such as turnover rates and adverse events have been low over the past years.  

One of the ideas that I believed before conducting the assessment and was confirmed is the lack of transparent and direct communication at all the organization’s level. The communication environment in the organization is one-way. The management makes decisions to be imposed on the staff without the consideration of their views. As a result, most of the staff express dissatisfaction with the manner in which the management undertakes its functions (Hashish, 2020). This was confirmed by most of the staff who reported that the statement on communication being transparent, direct, and respectful being completely untrue. As noted initially, the results of the assessment mean that the organization is not a safe workplace. It does not prioritize the needs of its staff in the implementation of different strategies, hence, having the potential of affecting performance and competitiveness of the organization.

NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE
NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

  

References 

Giménez Lozano, J. M., Martínez Ramón, J. P., & Morales Rodríguez, F. M. (2021). Doctors and Nurses: A Systematic Review of the Risk and Protective Factors in Workplace Violence and Burnout. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063280 

Hashish, E. A. A. (2020). Nurses’ perception of organizational justice and its relationship to their workplace deviance. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 273–288. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019834978 

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

I completed the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory, and my company received a score of 55. According to the findings, this indicates that the health is considered unhealthy in terms of civility. These findings surprised me because I would not classify my workplace as such. When making my choices, I tried to be objective and fair. After reviewing my responses, I can see that the areas that require the most improvement are employee satisfaction, engagement, and morale. In most departments, you can sense resentment and people who are dissatisfied with their jobs. People are constantly complaining in the break rooms and on social media. Another area that received a low score is the lack of emphasis on employee wellness and selfcare. This could be due to recent policy changes to combat the Covid19 pandemic, but many of our employer’s employee wellness benefits have been eliminated.

The fitness center area is one example. It was closed due to infection control, as was the 30 minute “wellness” leave allotted for working out. One aspect of the organization that received high marks in my evaluation was its competitive salaries, benefits, compensation, and other rewards. My employer pays well and provides excellent paid time off. We also get hazard pay bonuses once a month and plenty of chances to earn overtime or extra time off. Communication is one area where we can improve civility in our organization. Effective communication is critical, especially in this period of uncertainty. Many plans, I believe, are not communicated to all employees, which has a negative impact. One example is that just last week, when our clinic was forced to return to phase one due to an influx of positive cases in our area, only the supervisors were aware of the changes and failed to inform the staff. Everyone was perplexed, and there was complete chaos. I believe that more effort should have been made to inform the entire staff of the plans and expectations. Uncertainty about what was going on exacerbated an already stressful situation.

References

Clark, C. M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18–23. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf

A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

I agree that effective communication is important to reduce incivility in a workplace.

According to Meires (2018), areas where bullying occurs most frequently are emergency departments, behavioral health centers, and intensive care centers; bullying also occurs in long-term care centers, especially during the evening and night shifts.  One key to decreasing bullying and incivility in the workplace is for nurses and other team members to tap into emotional Intelligence (Meires 2018). Emotional intelligence is a form of social acumen that involves the ability of an individual to monitor his or her own feelings and the feelings of others to use good judgement (Meires 2018). One approach to bullying is to reflect on the situation before acting. A moment of calm reasoning can go a long way to diffuse a potentially stressful or angry situation. It might be reasonable to avoid labeling individuals as bullies, patient and staff safety should be the overarching theme (Meires 2018). Many times, individuals who are not easily intimidated do not make the situation about themselves. Rather, they see it as a way to prevent an adverse outcome.  keeping a sense of humor and knowing your limits of tolerance are useful (Meires 2018). Nurses who use EI often provide situational awareness and stability when emotions flare. Nurses using EI can also role model professional behaviors necessary for a healthy and harmonious work environment.  NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

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According to Green (2019), leadership styles can affect incivility in a workplace. The democratic leader uses constructive criticism to institute change among the group and encourages the group to make decisions together (Green 2019).  With this leadership style, staff

members experiencing uncivil conduct are more likely to feel comfortable discussing their concerns and can anticipate some degree of change to occur within the workplace environment.  The transformational leaders motivate staff members to accomplish a goal or an initiative (Green 2019).  They exhibit organizational citizenship behaviors, use listening skills, and pay attention to their staff members’ needs and identified goals, which can positively impact staff engagement, team member collaboration and relationships, and patient care.  The quantum leader manages complex dynamics at the unit and organizational level, responding with interventions to address issues, team collaboration is imperative to establishing interconnectedness and, ultimately, resolving identified problems (Green 2019). Laissez-faire leaders avoid criticism of others’ behaviors and have difficulty with providing direction (Green 2019).  Under this style of leadership, the staff member experiencing uncivil conduct is left to cope with the problem alone. The autocratic leader is punitive in his or her criticism of others’ behaviors and right or wrong decisions are made with minimal to no group input (Green 2019). This can be problematic when the leader is a participant within the culture of incivility. When addressing workplace incivility, the democratic leadership style can be effective (Green 2019). This style allows for objectivity when discussing environmental dysfunction within the workplace, with multiple views being shared within the group (Green 2019). Sharing viewpoints may potentially decrease staff members’ fear and anxiety, facilitating honest discussion (green 2019).

References

Green, C., A. (2019). Workplace incivility: Nurse leaders as change agents. Nursing Management (Springhouse), 50(1), 51–53. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000550455.99449.6b

Meires, J. (2018). Workplace Incivility. The Essentials: Using Emotional Intelligence to Curtail Bullying in the Workplace. Urologic Nursing, 38(3), 150–153. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.7257/1053-816X.2018.38.3.150

A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

A civil work environment is achieved when the workplace is healthy and positive interactions take place among nurse leaders and other team members.  What is civility?  Griffin & Clark (2014) describe civility as being aware of the concerns, wishes, and rights of others in your workplace, courtesy and politeness in behavior, and good manners.  When a workplace is lacking in civility, negative outcomes can occur, such as a decline in the quality of patient care, a decline in workplace safety, and even a decline in cost-effectiveness, in addition to the loss of a sense of well-being which is so important to a healthy work environment (Clark, 2018).

My workplace, according to analysis, has fallen in environment and civility since the many changes that have taken place since February in response to COVID-19.  Since that time, morale has significantly decreased as nurses are under pressure from the administration to do more, work more, take on more, and all without much recognition or thanks.  Sometimes management attempts to recognize exhausted staff with a reward that is seen as insulting, such as a free hamburger from a fast-food restaurant.  The staff is dissatisfied, tired, and feeling underappreciated.  As a result, I have seen incivility from staff toward management and administration and vice versa, and so the cycle continues. NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

My organization can begin to rebuild its once-healthy work environment by taking the necessary steps to first recognize incivility and then prevent it.  All of us in nursing need to remember the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics during these times.  It requires us to show respect toward all with whom we work, and do our part to contribute to a work environment that is healthy and happy (Clark, 2015).  Nursing staff must be able to express their concerns and feel safe doing so.  As leaders, management and administration need to step up and address this issue, for the well-being of our teams and the health of our patients (Clark, Olender, Cardoni, & Kenski, 2011).

References

Clark, C. M., Olender, L., Cardoni, C., & Kenski, D. (2011). Fostering civility in nursing education and practice: Nurse leader perspectives. Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(7/8), 324-330. doi:10.1097/NNA.0b013e31822509c4

Clark,  C. M. (2018). Combining cognitive rehearsal, simulation, and evidence-based scripting to address incivility. Nurse Educator. doi:10.1097/NNE.0000000000000563

Clark, C. M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18-23. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf

Griffin, M., & Clark, C. M. (2014). Revisiting cognitive rehearsal as an intervention against incivility and lateral violence in nursing: 10 years later. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 45(12), 535-542. doi:10.3928/00220124-20141122-02

A Sample Answer 5 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Summary of Results – Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recommends six standards that are important in ensuring a healthy work environment. These include appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, skilled communication, effective decision-making, true collaboration, and authentic leadership (Clark, 2015). To determine the health of the work environment, the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory was used which gave a score of 58 indicating an unhealthy work environment. Some of the aspects that lead to this poor score are poor communication due to ineffective communication channels and the lack of teamwork that plays an important role in addressing organizational challenges as well as preventing conflict within the facility (Clark, 2015). Due to the nursing shortage experienced in the organization, nurses experience burn out due to the extra tasks that they are delegated to address the increasing demand. However, the employees feel under-appreciated for their extra efforts in the organization that affects their morale and motivation in performing their roles within the organization. Maintaining a healthy workplace is important in the healthcare environment since this impacts patient outcomes and the achievement of healthcare goals. A stressful environment negatively affects healthcare workers in diverse aspects leading to poor performance. This includes providing safe care and collaborating with other workers to deliver quality healthcare services (Clark, 2015).

 

Identify two things that surprised you about the results. Also, identify one idea that you believed prior to conducting the Assessment that was confirmed. One thing that surprised me about the results was the high score regarding the organization encouraging the free expression of diverse/or opposing ideas which is not practiced by employees. Due to the fear associated with being discriminated against or negative remarks by the organization’s managers, most employees are afraid to express opposing ideas in the organization (Marquis & Huston, 2017). However, this is not the case in this scenario where the organization encourages employees to share their views to better decision-making and the performance of the organization. Another surprising statement is that the organization attracts and retains the best and the brightest yet there is poor performance in some of the departments (Grawitch & Ballard, 2016). With this kind of strategy, the organization should maintain high performance since the employees are well educated and equipped to address some of the challenges encountered in the organization. However, the organization still experiences the same challenges encountered by other organizations with the same goals. One idea that I believed before conducting the assessment that was confirmed is that employees are treated fairly and respectfully (Marquis & Huston, 2017). This is true as the organization tries to empower and encourage employees by valuing them, which is achieved by ensuring that disciplinary cases are handled seriously to ensure that employees and leaders treat one another with respect.

 

What do the results of the Assessment suggest about the health and civility of your workplace? The results of the assessment indicate that the organization needs to improve on some of the areas with low scores that affect the health of the workplace. This includes implementing effective strategies to enhance communication and collaboration among employees in the organization (Clark, 2017). Communication is important as it helps employees to exchange information and share their concerns with the management. However, poor communication will prevent this process and increase the likelihood of conflicts between employees in the organization. Due to the challenging scenarios experienced within the healthcare setting, creating a healthy work environment will help to address some of these problems leading to employee satisfaction (Clark, 2017). Effective communication will also enable employees to share emotional and psychological problems that may affect their performance in the organization. This can be enhanced through the creation of a conducive environment where nurses are empowered to speak without fear of intimidation. Employees can be trained on communication skills that will enable them to gain competence in civil communication. Effective communication will also enhance collaboration among employees since the employees can share common problems within the organization as well as develop informed decisions to address the challenges (Grawitch & Ballard, 2016).

Briefly describe the theory or concept presented in the article(s) you selected.

Explain how the theory or concept presented in the article(s) relates to the results of your Work Environment Assessment.

One concept presented in the Clark article “Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace” is the importance of communication in promoting a civil workplace. Poor communication can lead to problems within the organization such as disrespect, ineffective collaboration, and poor performance (Clark, 2015). In an organization that has ineffective communication, employees will not be able to report negative activities such as bullying, intimidation, and harassment that may affect the performance of employees and ultimately the organization. Organizations should foster meaningful dialogue with employees where issues of incivility are identified and addressed. One of the tools that can be used is the workplace inventory which is an evidence-based tool that can be completed by different individuals in the organization or team members (Grawitch & Ballard, 2016). This will raise awareness and assess the perceived health of an organization. It will also help determine areas for improvement. Based on the results of my Work Environment Assessment, this concept shows that some of the areas with low scores are a result of poor communication since the organization may foster some of the beneficial aspects but the employees may fail to take advantage of such opportunities. Effective communication will place employees and the organization on the same position where both parties have a similar understanding (Marquis & Huston, 2017).

 

Explain how your organization could apply the theory highlighted in your selected article(s) to improve organizational health and/or create stronger work teams. Be specific and provide examples. Organizations may apply effective communication to improve organizational health by allowing employees to share their opinions without any discrimination or ill-treatment for members who share opposing ideas (Warrner,Sommers,Zappa,&Thornlow,2016). This will encourage employees as they feel part of the organization since their opinions are valued by the organization. Communication is one of the effective aspects that link organizations to employees. This also allows leaders to provide feedback to the employees on the issues raised (Armstrong, 2017). Since work environments largely impact employees, organizations should focus on how to bring employees into one understanding that will lead to a shared vision leading to the organization’s success. Effective communication will encourage inclusivity where members from different backgrounds are included in important organizational processes such as decision-making. This will create an accommodative work environment that will motivate employees in carrying out their roles effectively (Grawitch & Ballard, 2016).
General Notes/Comments The health of the work environment is an important aspect that influences the performance of employees as well as the organization. This implies that for an organization to be successful, regular inventory assessments to determine the health and civility of the work environment are important (Marquis & Huston, 2017). One of the assessments is the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory that gives scores for different organizational statements. Using these scores, an organization can make the necessary adjustments to maximize its strengths and address the weaknesses to ensure and maintain high performance. The organization can apply different concepts/theories to improve organizational health and create stronger work teams that will be beneficial to the organization (Armstrong, 2017).

 

 

NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE References

Armstrong, N. E. (2017). A Quality Improvement Project Measuring the Effect of an Evidence-Based Civility Training Program on Nursing Workplace Incivility in a Rural Hospital Using Quantitative Methods. Online Journal of Rural Nursing & Health Care, 17(1), 100–137. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v17i1.438

Clark, C. M. (2017). An Evidence-Based Approach to Integrate Civility, Professionalism, and Ethical Practice into Nursing Curricula. Nurse Educator, 42(3), 120–126. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000000331

Clark, C.M. (2015). Conversations to inspire and promote a more civil workplace. American Nurse Today, 10(11), 18-23. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ant11-CE-Civility-1023.pdf

Grawitch, M. J., & Ballard, D. W. (2016). The psychologically healthy workplace: Building a win-win environment for organizations and employees. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2017). Organizational planning. Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (9th Ed. (pp. 160-185). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Warrner, J., Sommers, K., Zappa, M., & Thornlow, D. K. (2016). Decreasing workplace incivility. Nursing Management, 47(1), 22-30. doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000475622.91398.c3

A Sample Answer 6 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Healthcare professionals should work in environments that support interprofessional collaboration, protect them from bullying and other uncivil behaviors, and sustain individual development. Due to their critical role in primary care, nurses require guidance, mentorship, and active engagement in decision-making. However, not all workplaces provide nurses with a healthy and safe environment to provide optimal patient care and optimize personal development. Incivility is typical in many institutions, and its magnitude depends on leadership, employee empowerment programs, and behavior management policies, among other factors. A workplace diagnosis helps assess the incivility level and interventions required to promote civility. The purpose of this paper is to describe the workplace environment assessment results, concept/theory, and strategies for creating high-performance interprofessional teams.

Work Environment Assessment

Assessments reveal the health status of an organization. They evaluate many aspects, and the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory diagnoses potential problems regarding civility in an organization. The organization scored 59 on the inventory and one’s impression. The score demonstrates low performance on critical organizational factors that promote a healthy workplace, including the organizational culture and environment. Multiple factors contribute to such a score, and the chances of interprofessional collaboration and organizational development are usually low.

The facility also lacks appropriate preceptorship plans for new workers. The lack of orientation exposes them to confusion and bullying, among other features of uncivil workplaces. Other contributing factors include the lack of mentorship for current employees’ culture evaluation programs. The situation would have been better if the organization had assessed its culture regularly and responded effectively. The institution also lacks adequate resources to promote career progression, which impedes professional development. Consequently, it is challenging to retain experienced and top nurses. The other factor to blame for the discouraging score is a leadership model that excludes employees in decision-making.

The two surprising outcomes are the organization’s ill state and its unchanged culture. Considering how the organizational environment and workplace relationships profoundly affect patient care, healthcare institutions should avoid uncivil behaviors and invest heavily in positive cultures. Among the dominant organizational perspectives, the institution does not regard employees as valuable participants in decision-making and organizational growth. After checking numerous “totally untrue boxes” scale components, the overall result confirmed the same. This implies ineffective organizational governance. The other major worry was employee appreciation, which was lacking since employees are not regarded as valuable assets. According to Flynn et al. (2021), employee appreciation helps employees feel more secure and satisfied, motivating them to continue their work. Such motivation ensures that employees are more inclined to healthy behaviors and avoid uncivil acts.

The results confirmed the need for transformative change, a view held before conducting the review. A leadership that does not revere employee participation is retrogressive and hampers civility in the workplace. From the findings, current leadership styles are ineffective, and a shift is inevitable for the organization to achieve its vision and goals. A practical way to achieve these goals is to advocate for and practice transformative leadership, whose central tenet is inspiration and working together to achieve the desired vision (Seljemo et al., 2020). The organization, through its leader, must also ensure the satisfaction of both workers and patients.

Generally, the score (59) reveals an unhealthy and uncivil workplace. Incivility hampers nurses’ mental health and reduces overall productivity (Kile et al., 2018). The situation is worse in workplaces where the leadership has not implemented robust policies for preventing incivility and promoting healthy relationships. Unhealthy and uncivil workplaces are also associated with patient safety concerns, implying low patient satisfaction. Due to such outcomes, immediate, practical interventions are necessary. The situation should be addressed before reaching unmanageable levels.

Reviewing the Literature

Nursing literature has explored workplace incivility in-depth and recommended multiple interventions for understanding and addressing the problem. Cognitive rehearsal is among the widely explored concepts. According to Griffin and Clark (2014), cognitive rehearsal is an effective behavioral strategy for addressing incivility and lateral violence in the workplace. It has three interrelated components. The first component is participating in informative instruction regarding incivility and lateral violence. Secondly, those vulnerable to workplace incivility are taught to identify and rehearse specific phrases for addressing incivility. The third component is practicing the phrases to be more familiar with their application in real-life situations.

Cognitive rehearsal empowers nurses to identify and respond effectively to uncivil behaviors. Since their probability is high, organizational management should embrace cognitive rehearsal as a behavioral intervention strategy for current and new nurses. Griffin and Clark (2014) analyzed the effectiveness of cognitive rehearsal for newly licensed nurses. They found that cognitive rehearsal enabled new nurses to stop uncivil behaviors against them completely. Kile et al. (2018) found cognitive rehearsal highly effective in improving nurses’ confidence to defend themselves against incivility. They were also better positioned to recognize workplace incivility and report related behaviors.

Regarding the relationship between the concept (cognitive rehearsal) and the work environment assessment, nurses and other healthcare workers may be trained to overcome workplace incivility through the cognitive rehearsal approach. Currently, it is challenging to achieve the desired vision and purpose without reviewing and changing the organizational culture. A crucial part of the required review is empowering nurses and healthcare workers in recognizing and reacting to distressing behaviors and remarks from leaders or colleagues. Cognitive rehearsal training should be part of the organizational policies for improving its health. The management should also continually measure employee satisfaction and engagement, purposing to empower its workforce and enhance civility.

Cognitive rehearsal can improve the overall organizational health and play a critical role in creating stronger teams. Currently, the organization does not promote a learning culture to help employees advance their careers. Healthcare organizations should consider on-the-job training to strengthen nurses’ interprofessional abilities. Cognitive rehearsal training should be among the central components of on-the-job training. Through cognitive rehearsal, nurses learn what workplace incivility entails and how to promote a civil workplace. They further learn to associate with like-minded colleagues who do not participate in uncivil behaviors. Kile et al. (2018) and Clark (2019) further recommended healthcare facilities invest in education programs that teach cognitive rehearsal to improve their health and staff collaboration. The education team should also provide continuing leadership development programs that include mental tests to assess nurses’ ability to cope with stressful situations.

 

Evidence-Based Strategies to Create High-Performance Interprofessional Teams

An organization’s progressive growth depends on its strategies to address its shortcomings. Leading causes of incivility, as the workplace assessment revealed, include lack of employee orientation and employee appreciation programs. In response, a robust nurse orientation program is necessary. Such a program introduces new employees to the organizational policies, culture, and workforce. Nurses feel more positive about the organization when they understand its structure and people. Nurse orientation programs are a critical part of the enculturation that helps produce competent nurses ready to provide quality patient care (Church et al., 2020). Besides orientation, employee recognition and reward programs should be part of the interventions for organizational development. The work environment assessment revealed that the leaders rarely appreciate employees and do not consider them in decision-making. Employees’ appreciation is necessary to strengthen the leaders-employees bond. Appreciation also makes employees feel valued and a pivotal part of the organization. Such appreciation encourages them to collaborate and engage positively as crucial members of the healthcare team.

The organization can also implement several strategies to bolster successful practices revealed in the work environment assessment. The focus should be on nurse retention, which the leaders try, but it is not up to the expected levels. Employee recognition through rewards is among the most effective nurse retention programs. Recognition improves the nurses’ mental connection with the facility since it makes them feel more valued (Flynn et al., 2021). The other effective strategy is the leaders to ensure adequate nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Adequate staffing prevents nurse burnout, a leading cause of nurse turnover in healthcare organizations (Kelly et al., 2021). These strategies can be used independently or interchangeably as situations prompt.

Conclusion

The healthcare staff should always be mentally, physically, and emotionally ready to provide patient care and collaborate with colleagues. A practical way of ensuring they are ready is by preventing workplace incivility. The work environment assessment revealed an unhealthy and uncivil workplace where the leaders rarely engage and appreciate employees. Due to the far-reaching effects of such workplaces on patient care, practical interventions are necessary. Cognitive rehearsal is a highly effective approach for empowering nurses to recognize and respond to workplace incivility.

References

Church, C. D., White, M., & Cosme, S. (2020). Helping students identify a healthy transition-to-practice work environment. Nurse Educator45(4), 174-176. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000751

Clark, C. M. (2019). Fostering a culture of civility and respect in nursing. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 10(1), 44–52. doi:10.1016/s2155-8256(19)30082-1

Flynn, W. J., Valentine, S. R., & Meglich, P. (2021). Healthcare human resource management. Cengage Learning.

Griffin, M., & Clark, C. M. (2014). Revisiting cognitive rehearsal as an intervention against incivility and lateral violence in nursing: 10 years later. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing45(12), 535-542. doi:10.3928/00220124-20141122-02

Kelly, L. A., Gee, P. M., & Butler, R. J. (2021). Impact of nurse burnout on organizational and position turnover. Nursing outlook69(1), 96-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.06.008

Kile, D., Eaton, M., deValpine, M., & Gilbert, R. (2018). The effectiveness of education and cognitive rehearsal in managing nurse‐to‐nurse incivility: A pilot study. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(3), 543–552. doi:10.1111/jonm.12709

Seljemo, C., Viksveen, P., & Ree, E. (2020). The role of transformational leadership, job demands and job resources for patient safety culture in Norwegian nursing homes: A cross-sectional study. BMC Health Services Research20(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05671-y

A Sample Answer 7 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

The key to changing world is by listening to one another, giving each other chances to be heard can prevent chaos in the workplace and the work at large, the stress encounter in healthcare work environment could create lack of respectful way of communication. Poor communication and lack of knowledge are barrier to successful interprofessional collaboration (Broome & Marshall, 2021). our ability to cope with stress and control our emotion and talk to each other with respect hinges upon our ability to handle stress.

Description of Work Environment Assessment

My workplace scored 42 on the Clark Health Workplace Inventory, indicating that my workplace is very unhealthy. My workplace scored 4 points each under 2 statement categories “Individual and collective achievement are celebrated and publicized equitably” and “There is a comprehensible mentoring program for employees.” My workplace scored 1 point each on the statement “The workload is reasonable, manageable, and fairly distributed” and “Members of the organization use effective conflict resolution skills and address disagreements respectfully and responsibly.” My organization scored 2 points each in all other statement categories.

Members of my organization do not live by a shared vision and mission based on trust, respect, and collegiality. A shared mission and vision in an organization are critical because it helps to shed light on an organization’s direction. The actualization of shared vision hinges on its ability to form a sense of ownership among the team members in an organization. A well-embraced shared vision brings about a sense of identity that will run in the organization, and an organization that embraces a shared vision will grow.

My organization needs more trust between and among formal and other workforce members. When trust is infused in organization tasks get done with ease. Communication at all levels of the organization needs to be more transparent and direct. Effective communication is always essential to nurses (Wynn et al., 2023). Poor communication kills employee morale and engagement, resulting in poor productivity and satisfaction. Poor communication affects cooperation and collaboration among workers. In my organization, employees are not seen as assets. When a company sees employees as assets, it will nurture employee talents and help them grow. When an employee is valued, they tend to maximize their potential.

My organization needs teamwork, spirit, and collaboration. Interdisciplinary collaboration is a means of enhancing future healthcare (Broome & Marshall, 2021). There is some degree of a mentoring program for all the employees’, mentoring program is vital in the organization because it provides employees with necessary support and guidance. Mentorship promotes cohesion and collaboration in an organization. My organization does not lay emphasis on employee wellness and self-care. A good employee is a happy employee, and a happy employee results in high productivity.

My organization needs to gain the ability to continuously assess organizational culture, organization can take measures to improve organizational culture through the assessment of organizational culture. Members of my organization are not engaged in shared governance, do not engage in shared governance no joint decision-making effort or policy is being developed. At my organization workload could be more reasonable. Work needs to be fairly shared. Managing team workload is essential to prevent burnout and stress from work.

My organization has no room for free expression or opposing ideas. In my organization, there needs to be more competitive salaries and benefits. When an organization offers a competitive pay rate, it enhances overall job satisfaction and zero opportunities for promotion, although there is a certain degree of provision for career advancement. In my organization, employee turnover is very high, and my organization needs to attract or retain the best and the brightest employee. Many employees will not recommend my organization as an excellent workplace for their friends.

How Civil is My Workplace – Explanation

Civility means politeness, showing courtesy, the ability to control one’s emotions, and a respectful way of treating others. Civility at the workplace is a vital behavior an employee must exhibit in an organization; civilized behavior is interpersonal rules of engagement that dictate how people interact with each other civility is essential in the workplace. Civility is showing respect to another coworker at work. Civility at work brings about greater job satisfaction and a governable atmosphere. Civility has a relationship with improving morale and the spirit of teamwork.

When I look at my organization, there is a lack of civility and respect, resulting in a harmful environment. Lack of civility at work contributes to emotional exhaustion, sickness, burnout, and a high turnover. It causes chaos. Staffing levels and turnover negatively affect the quality of care in nursing homes (Cimarolli et al., 2022). The lack of civility at my organization serves as a basis for increased grievances. Nurses bully other nurses, causing depression and anxiety among employees. Bullying is a systematic sequence of behavior designed to erode, debase and humiliate others (Griffin & Clark, 2014). My organization cannot authoritatively say that employees are treating each other with respect, and my organization cannot say that they can effectively handle conflicts between employees. My organization cannot say they have an effective way of addressing lousy behavior among their staff.

Incivility I experienced at work

I experienced incivility when I got hired at a nursing home. Incivility among healthcare workers can create an unsafe working environment that can result in poor patient care (Clark et al., 2011). I have been bullied at work by other nurses. When I got hired, I did not know that some nurses were using the schedule/shift my organization was trying to give me as overtime. These old nurses try their best to frustrate me so that I can quit the job, and they can continue to enjoy their overtime, and the company continues to suffer high turnover and a bad image.

However, the new Director of Nursing, a transformational leader, addressed the issue and put the old nurses in order. Leadership is a position of influence, a process that takes place in a group setting, and it has to do with achieving goals that represent a shared vision (Riesch et al., 2023). In an attempt for these old nurses to sabotage my effort, they exhibited various deviant behavior with ambiguous intent to push me out of the facility. Their nefarious behavior included insulting remarks, dirty looks, and intentionally ignoring my input.

They do not want me to ask questions. However, they love querying me, telling our supervisor that they did not know my whereabouts when I just saw them a minute ago, talking to me using a condescending tone, talking about me behind me, trying to prove that they are competent at the expense of my image, accusing professional competence, displaying the silent accusation about professional competence, displaying the silent treatment. In this case, it is the old nurses that are being uncivil. Uncivil encounters in the patient environment can create uncertainty self- doubt, erode self-confidence, and affect the critical thinking ability of a nurse (Clark, 2019).

How the Incivility was Addressed

Incivility at work costs the organization plenty of resources, sometimes affecting its technical and logical problems. Bullying and incivility significantly affect employees psychologically (Alberts, 2022). At my organization, we recently had a good Director of Nursing, and she models good behavior. She did not make excuses, and she did not dismiss my concerns. She immediately agreed with my perception and believed what I said about other nurses’ attitudes. She discovered that the problem I pointed out could affect productivity and increase employee turnover. The director of Nursing held everyone accountable, and she addressed the issue. When I brought it to her notice, she called and talked to all the nurses involved without implicating me.

The director of nursing redefines acceptable conduct at work. Every time the director of nursing sees me coming to work, she always asks how I am doing and listens to my answer. The more she shows me she cares and is willing to listen to me, the more I share potential problems with her. My Director of Nursing utilizes her conflict resolution skills to address my problem. The workload at that facility was hectic, but because of the director of Nursing’s professionalism, I decide to hang on.

Conclusion

The nature of interaction among employees can influence how they discharge their responsibility and how healthcare is delivered. The code of ethic for Nurses describes vividly, the nurse’s obligation to promote safe, ethical environment and culture that encourage civility and affection, dealing with colleagues, coworkers, we encounter with civility, creating a feel free environment at work place, enables employee to speak up. Creating a civil working environment requires a shard organizational vision, values, and team norms. Developing and maintaining of high level of staff, group, and organizational civility, bring up the topic of civility at all quarters of the organization.

References

Alberts, H. L. (2022). Addressing bullying and incivility in clinical nursing education. Teaching and Learning in Nursing17(4), 433–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2022.05.004Links to an external site.

Broome, M. E., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.

Cimarolli, V. R., Bryant, N. S., Falzarano, F., & Stone, R. (2022). Factors associated with nursing home direct care professionals’ turnover intent during the covid-19 pandemic. Geriatric Nursing48, 32–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2022.08.012Links to an external site.

Clark, C. M. (2019). Combining cognitive rehearsal, simulation, and evidence-based scripting to address incivility. Nurse Educator44(2), 64–68. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000563Links to an external site.

Clark, C. M., Olender, L., Cardoni, C., & Kenski, D. (2011). Fostering civility in nursing education and practice. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration41(7/8), 324–330. https://doi.org/10.1097/nna.0b013e31822509c4Links to an external site.

Griffin, M., & Clark, C. M. (2014). Revisiting cognitive rehearsal as an intervention against incivility and lateral violence in nursing: 10 years later. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing45(12), 535–542. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20141122-02Links to an external site.

Riesch, S. K., Chiappa, J., Floyd, N., & Ponce, M. (2023). The chief nursing officer shared leadership model. Nurse Leader21(1), 31–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2022.09.006Links to an external site.

Wynn, S. T., Ratcliffe, C. J., & Hardin, L. (2023). Ready, set, woo: Refining nursing students’ communication skills. Teaching and Learning in Nursinghttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2023.03.004Links to an external site.Links to an external site.

A Sample Answer 8 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Title: NURS 6053 Discussion Workplace Environment Assessment SAMPLE

Being a great leader involves providing a healthy working environment for patients and staff. Every healthcare organization functions differently, but learning to maintain a civil and respectful work environment that can help benefit patient safety is vital.  The transformational leader coaches and promotes collaboration among clinicians, patients, and researchers to create a professional culture in an informed care environment. Decisions are based on the best evidence, patient preferences and needs, and clinical judgment (Broome & Marshall, 2021).

Description of results

After carefully completing Clark’s Healthy Workplace Inventory, I was surprised that my score was only 62 (barely healthy). Our organization has recently changed management, and we will relocate to another facility in a few months. We are also making computer changes within our organization, so I believe these changes have caused many to feel dissatisfied and anxious about the future.  This has caused some staff to feel uneasy, uncivil, and stressed. According to Clark 2011, incivility and disruptive behaviors may also be normalized or perpetuated by organizational culture, particularly during reconstructing or downsizing. This can occur because of unclear roles and expectations, professional and personal value differences, personal vulnerabilities, and organizational power struggles during this change. Right now, my organization is not civil because of a couple of staff that make it bad for a few. However, the stakeholders and leaders are aware and attempt to solve the problem with many meetings to help alleviate anxiety for some. Also, there is a lack of teamwork in our facility due to incivility.

Incivility in the workplace

My experience with incivility started many years ago when management hired an additional nurse in our hospital, and I was her preceptor. From the beginning, everything I showed her, she knew. “I know how to do this, and yes, I know.”  This was her first time working with me, and I needed to show her around and give her a full day of transitioning to the floor. Orienting her on each patient’s admission process, care, and how the unit runs. This nurse kept uttering unprofessional words that I found offensive. I was unsure what to think, so I immediately went to my nursing supervisor for advice and assistance. I felt uncomfortable, and I could not complete her orientation process. After speaking to the nursing supervisor and voicing my concerns, further communication and training were warranted.  I later heard that this same nurse had been bullying other employees, and her job was terminated.

Going through this experience many years ago has taught me many lessons. Learning to work in a stressful environment is unhealthy and can affect patient safety. First, addressing incivility by speaking up is the most effective way to stop it from happening.  Effectively communicate with your colleague and allow differences to be shared while listening. Second, choose a time to engage in a challenging conversation if needed. Third, select a safe zone. A safe environment without other parties/observers around. Finally, remain calm and do not interrupt the person speaking (Clark, 2015). If this is not possible, seek a professional to mediate the situation.

Conclusion                

In conclusion, maintaining a professional and ethical work environment is vital to ensuring staff and patient safety. Incivilities in the workplace, such as bullying or disruptive behaviors, must be addressed to promote an effective work environment for staff and patients. Learning to work cohesively as a team is vital, and identifying behaviors that can lead to unhealthy behavior before it occurs is imperative in maintaining a civil work environment. Identifying ways to address incivility in the workplace by identifying the problem is essential in achieving a goal. It may promote a healthy environment for all.

Grading Rubric Guidelines DQ

Performance Category 10 9 8 4 0
Scholarliness

Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic decisions.

  • Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry clearly stating how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions
  • Evaluates literature resources to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis.
  • Uses valid, relevant, and reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion
  • Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry but does not clearly state how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Evaluates information from source(s) to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis.
  • Uses some valid, relevant, reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion.
  • Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is taken from source(s) with some interpretation/evaluation, but not enough to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis.
  • Little valid, relevant, or reliable outside sources are used to contribute to the threaded discussion.
  • Demonstrates little or no understanding of the topic.
  • Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is taken from source(s) without any interpretation/evaluation.
  • The posting uses information that is not valid, relevant, or reliable
  • No evidence of the use of scholarly inquiry to inform or change professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is not valid, relevant, or reliable
Performance Category  10 9 8 4 0
Application of Course Knowledge –

Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles and concepts learned in the course lesson and outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations

  • Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources;
  • Applies concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life.
  • Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources.
  • Applies concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Interactions with classmates are relevant to the discussion topic but do not make direct reference to lesson content
  • Posts are generally on topic but do not build knowledge by incorporating concepts and principles from the lesson.
  • Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Does not demonstrate a solid understanding of the principles and concepts presented in the lesson
  • Posts do not adequately address the question posed either by the discussion prompt or the instructor’s launch post.
  • Posts are superficial and do not reflect an understanding of the lesson content
  • Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Posts are not related to the topics provided by the discussion prompt or by the instructor; attempts by the instructor to redirect the student are ignored
  • No discussion of lesson concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life
Performance Category  5 4 3 2 0
Interactive Dialogue

Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days.

(5 points possible per graded thread)

  • Exceeds minimum post requirements
  • Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts three or more times in each graded thread, over three separate days.
  • Replies to a post posed by faculty and to a peer
  • Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.
  • Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days
  • Replies to a question posed by a peer

Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.

  • Meets expectations of 2 posts on 2 different days.
  • The main post is not made by the Wednesday deadline
  • Does not reply to a question posed by a peer or faculty
  • Has only one post for the week
  • Discussion posts contain few, if any, new ideas or applications; often are a rehashing or summary of other students’ comments
  • Does not post to the thread
  • No connections are made to the topic
  Minus 1 Point Minus 2 Point Minus 3 Point Minus 4 Point Minus 5 Point
Grammar, Syntax, APA

Note: if there are only a few errors in these criteria, please note this for the student in as an area for improvement. If the student does not make the needed corrections in upcoming weeks, then points should be deducted.

Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing.

The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition

  • 2-3 errors in APA format.
  • Written responses have 2-3 grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is generally clear, focused, and facilitates communication.
  • 4-5 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 4-5 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is somewhat focused.
  • 6-7 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 6-7 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is slightly focused making discussion difficult to understand.
  • 8-10 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 8-10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is not focused, making discussion difficult to understand.
  • Post contains greater than 10 errors in APA format.
  • Written responses have more than 10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style does not facilitate communication.
  • The student continues to make repeated mistakes in any of the above areas after written correction by the instructor
0 points lost       -5 points lost
Total Participation Requirements

per discussion thread

The student answers the threaded discussion question or topic on one day and posts a second response on another day. The student does not meet the minimum requirement of two postings on two different days
Early Participation Requirement

per discussion thread

The student must provide a substantive answer to the graded discussion question(s) or topic(s), posted by the course instructor (not a response to a peer), by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week. The student does not meet the requirement of a substantive response to the stated question or topic by Wednesday at 11:59 pm MT.