No Margin, No Mission Assignment
You are a nurse team leader in Jamestown Hospital, an acute care, for-profit hospital.
The mission statement for Jamestown Hospital states that the hospital has two primary purposes: (a) to provide the highest possible quality of care for its clients and (b) to maximize the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of resource utilization in recognition of its obligation to internal and external stakeholders.
Recently, you have become increasingly concerned regarding what you perceive to be the economically motivated, premature discharge of patients with chronic diseases.
You know that some diabetic or asthmatic patients yield little, if any, profit for the organization. You are well acquainted with the discharge planner on the unit, and both of you have discussed your concerns with each other, but neither of you have taken any action.
ASSIGNMENT:
Do you feel the dual goal mission statement is in conflict? As a registered nurse, do you feel you can influence the discharge process?
How do you plan on handling the conflict you are beginning to feel regarding these early discharges? What alternatives are available to you in deciding what, if anything, to do?