Process Flow Analysis

Have you ever encountered a process that had too many steps or was overly complicated? Perhaps you examined the process and looked for areas where you could remove steps or simplify its flow. If you did, you were conducting a process flow analysis. Process analysis is an important step in determining the financial well-being of an organization and pinpointing areas where changes could help improve the bottom line. In this Assignment, you will create a process flow analysis (also known as workflow diagramming) for an activity in your own organization (or one with which you are familiar).

To prepare:

Review the information in the Learning Resources (including the Media) for this week dealing with how to perform a process flow analysis.

Identify a process that is completed on a consistent basis in your organization (or one with which you are familiar). Examples of a process include such things as how a patient is moved through the system, or what must occur to prepare an examination room or hospital room for the next patient.

Create a simple flow analysis map detailing the process using Microsoft Word using one of the methods below:

Select SmartArt from the Insert menu and select a diagram that matches the flowchart structure you would like to use.

Select Shapes from theInsert menu and select the shape that matches the flowchart piece you would like to use. Continue inserting shapes and connect them using the arrow shapes.

Reflect on the ease or difficulty of obtaining the necessary information to create your flow analysis map.

Identify “white space” as defined in the article, “Hospital Operating System: Unleashing Throughput Potential” found in the Learning Resources for this week.

Determine strategies for improving the process flow.

Reflect on the role of the process flow analysis in financial decision making and how it can have positive impacts on the process. Attach your Flow Analysis Map to your Discussion post. (Very Important)

Describe the process you analyzed and how you went about gathering the necessary information to create your flow analysis map. Identify specific areas of white space that need to be addressed and propose strategies for improving the process. Analyze how process flow analysis can be a useful tool in financial decision making and the ramifications of not using it. Be sure and include your flow analysis map when you turn in your paper.

Reminder: This Discussion assignment serves as your Portfolio Assignment for this course. Be sure to save this Discussion Assignment on both your hard drive and on an external drive.

Describe the process you analyzed and how you went about gathering the necessary information to create your flow analysis map. Identify specific areas of white space and propose strategies for improving the process. Analyze how process flow analysis can be a useful tool in financial decision making and the ramifications of not using it. Be sure and include your flow analysis map as part of your post.

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days using one or more of the following approaches:

Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.

Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.

Make a suggestion based on additional evidence drawn from readings or after synthesizing multiple postings. (Will Send Responses Soon)

Required Readings

Baker, J., & Baker, R. W. (2014). Health care finance: Basic tools for nonfinancial managers. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 14, “Using Comparative Data” (pp. 157–169)

Review: In this chapter, you are introduced to the criteria for identifying other health care organizations that are comparable to your own. Data from these organizations can then be used to evaluate your own organizational performance.

Thorpe, L., Kovach, S., Vins, W., & Stefanak, M. (2010). Business process analysis and redesign methods: improving response to telephone-based reports in a local health department. Public Health Reports, 125(6), 903–908.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

In this article, the authors describe a case in which one local health department used the business process analysis and redesign methods to test their effect on response time to pressing public health problems. It demonstrates the importance of analyzing current organizational processes in order to improve system design.

Jenkins, A., & Eckel, S. (2012). Analyzing methods for improved management of workflow in an outpatient pharmacy setting. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 69(11), 966–971.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article details an analysis of a central outpatient pharmacy. The authors explain the need to transfer pharmacists’ dispensing-oriented activities from technical dispensing functions toward more pharmacist-patient related interactions.

 CareLogistics (n.d.). Hospital Operating System: Unleashing throughput potential (Executive Summary). Retrieved from https://www.iienet2.org/uploadedfiles/SHSNew/Tools_and_Resources/Case_Studies_and_Tools/Exec%20Summary-White%20Paper%20-%20Hospital%20Operating%20System.pdf

This white paper discusses whether or not a hospital would be able to manage throughput if it becomes a system of interconnected activities.

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012). Process analyses. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Note:  The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.

In this video, Dr. William Ward describes brown paper analysis, process flow analysis, and value stream mapping. Dr. Ward demonstrates the application of the three types of analyses to the same scenario to highlight their different uses.

Document: The following document gives credit for Laureate-produced media in this course: Credits (PDF)

Assignment

In collaboration with your approved course mentor, you will choose a specific evidence-based practice proposal topic for the Capstone Project. Consider the clinical environment in which you are currently working or have recently worked. The Capstone Project topic can be a clinical practice problem, an organizational issue, a quality improvement suggestion, a leadership initiative, or an educational need appropriate “supervised to your area of interest as well as your practice immersion (practicum) setting. A combination of 100 clinical hours” in community health and leadership areas will be obtained through the application of the objectives listed in the “Guidelines for Undergraduate Field Experiences” manual and as captured in the ISP.

Practicum immersion experiences are required in a community health setting. Community health and leadership practice immersion can occur in the same site and in conjunction with the evidence-based project in the NRS-490V course. Definitions of community-based settings should encourage community integration and involvement; expand accessibility of services and supports; promote personal preference, strengths, dignity; and empower people to participate in the economic mainstream. Examples of the integration of community health, leadership, and an EBP can be found at Healthy People 2020.

The goals of the practice immersion experience is to apply the learning from your research, community health, and leadership courses:

After studying this course, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of factors to consider when planning to work with a chosen community.
2. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of approaches that will facilitate engagement of the community.
3. Demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills required to work constructively with communities.
4. Demonstrate and apply knowledge related to engagement of organizational leadership and change agents.
5. Demonstrate and apply knowledge related to disseminating project findings/data with organizational leadership and change agents.
6. Demonstrate and apply knowledge related to completing an evidence-based project to impact population health outcomes.
7. Demonstrate and apply Healthy People 2010/2020 principles related to completing an evidence-based project to impact population health outcomes.

According to Healthy People.gov, educational and community-based programs and strategies are designed to reach people outside of traditional health care settings. These settings may include:

Schools

Worksites

Health care facilities

Communities

Each setting provides opportunities to reach people using existing social structures. This maximizes impact and reduces the time and resources necessary for program development.

In a composition of no more than 750 words, describe the nature of your proposed project topic. Include the following in your discussion:

1. The setting or context in which the problem, issue, suggestion, initiative, or educational need can be observed.
2. A description providing a high level of detail regarding the problem, issue, suggestion, initiative, or educational need.
3. Impact of the problem, issue, suggestion, initiative, or educational need on the work environment, the quality of care provided by staff, and patient outcomes.
4. Significance of the problem, issue, suggestion, initiative, or educational need and its implications to nursing.

Preview and utilize the “Project Topic Checklist” resource located in the topic materials to assist in developing your proposed Capstone Project topic. This resource will assist you in organizing your work and will provide additional information regarding the assignment. Note: You are required to retrieve and assess a minimum of 15 peer-reviewed articles. Plan your time to complete this assignment accordingly.

Attach the completed “Project Topic Checklist” to your assignment submission.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

Discussion: The Unionization of Employees

If there is no struggle, there is no progress—Frederick Douglass

Since their initial rise in the post-Civil War era, unions across the United States have called public attention to unfair labor practices, wage disparities, and inadequate benefits. Union leaders and nurse managers are learning to approach the unionization of employees as a partnership. Union leaders have taken strides to negotiate with managers in quick and efficient “good faith” dealings, while nurse managers enter negotiations with open minds and the intent to reach an agreement. To benefit future generations of nursing professionals, nurse managers must understand how to effectively respond to unionization attempts and how to partner with union leaders.

To prepare

Review the article “Making a Union/Management Partnership Really Work” in this week’s Learning Resources. Consider how the union and district health board portrayed in this article worked together to create the joint action group. Think about the positive outcomes of this endeavor. How might nurse managers work with health care unions to solicit such a partnership?

Examine the article “Unions in the Healthcare Industry,” taking note of the timeline of unionized activities such as the collective bargaining process, the campaign period, and the outcomes of unionization. How do the legal landscape and social environment of a health care setting change once workers engage in unionized activities?

Review the media pieces, “The Saga of TrulyGood Hospital” and “The Saga of Beneficent Hospital.”

Reflect upon the situations presented in each media case study, and select one for your Discussion posting.

Consider why the staff might be seeking union representation. As a nurse manager, consider the steps you might take to address the situation before, during, and after the time period depicted in the case study.

Note: Before you submit your initial post, replace the subject line (“Week 3 Discussion”) with the name of the case study you selected. (So, Give me the name of the case)

Post a description of at least one reason the nursing staff in the case you selected might decide to unionize. Explain three steps you, as a nurse manager, could take to effectively respond to unionization attempts. Then, discuss HR’s role in helping to legally address labor relations and unionization attempts. Justify your response by citing past experiences with unions, union organizing activities, current labor policies, and/or this week’s Learning Resources.

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days using the following approach:

Review the steps described by a colleague for effectively responding to unionization attempts. If a vote determines that the staff will be represented by a labor union, explain strategies your colleague might employ to establish a good working management/labor partnership with the union.

Required Readings

Lussier, R. N., & Hendon, J. R. (2016). Human resource management: Functions, applications, & skill development (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Chapter 10, “Employee and Labor Relations” (pp. 356–397)

This chapter introduces the concept and legal landscape of labor relations. It highlights the importance of communication and trust, along with labor relations’ influence on job satisfaction and workplace conflict.

Brooke, P. S. (2011). Legally speaking … When can staff say no? Nursing Management, 42(1), 40–44. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The author of this article discusses an overarching problem many nurses experience on a daily basis: their inability to say ‘no’ to fulfilling tasks and responsibilities outside of the nursing role. The author highlights situations that can have legal ramifications, including overtime, taking on assignments outside of a nurse’s practice scope and skill level, provision of alternative care therapies, and inappropriate delegations.

Matthews, J. (2010). When does delegating make you a supervisor? Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 15(2), 3. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. 

This article reviews the impact on registered nurses of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In addition, it explores the exclusions of nurse managers during collective bargaining contracts and union organization.

Neil, A., & Robinson, J. (2011). Making a union/management partnership really work. Nursing New Zealand, 17(11), 32–33. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article portrays an authentic example of how the Bay of Plenty District Health Board worked with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) union to increase the engagement of nurses while also improving the patient journey. By creating the joint action group (JAG), these leaders were able to reach their stated goals and to develop an effective plan for achieving future ideals.

Porter, C. (2010). A nursing labor management partnership model. Journal of Nursing Administration, 40(6), 272–276. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article describes a partnership between clinical nurses and nursing management that was successfully implemented in a prominent teaching hospital.

Sanders, L. G., & McCutcheon, A. W. (2010). Unions in the healthcare industry. Labor Law Journal, 61(3), 142–151.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article discusses the impact and importance of nursing unions in clinical settings. With a focus on Boston Medical Center Corp, the authors outline the many factors that affect labor unions in the health care industry.

 Document: Labor Relations: Case Studies (Word document)

You will use the case studies presented in this document for this week’s Discussion.

Required Media

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). The saga of TrulyGood Hospital. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.

Joan, a nurse manager at TrulyGood Hospital, is having a hectic month. Select this media case study to explore why in this week’s Discussion. (Media in the attachment)

Accessible player  

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). The saga of Beneficent Hospital. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.

Tom, the CEO of Beneficent Hospital, begins to notice discontent among his staff. Select this media case study to explore why in this week’s Discussion. (Media in the attachment)

Accessible player  

Optional Resources

National Labor Relations Board. (n.d.). Employee rights notice posting. Retrieved September 21, 2012 from http://www.nlrb.gov/poster

 National Labor Relations Board. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2012 from https://www.nlrb.gov/

Performance appraisals should be timely, thoughtful, consistent, thorough, and free from bias. How can performance appraisal systems be structured to facilitate this type of environment? Effective performance standards and appraisals can promote an open and continuous relationship among the nurse manager, HR professionals, and employees. How might you, as a nurse manager, use performance appraisals and other performance management strategies, such as positive discipline, in your leadership approach?

In this Discussion, you reflect on questions that commonly arise when assessing performance appraisal processes.

Performance Standards:

Who creates performance standards, and how are they communicated to employees?

Are performance standards consistent with quality standards commonly used in the nursing profession?

Do performance standards align with legal and ethical nursing practice?

Performance Appraisals:

How is employee performance (i.e., behaviors, attitudes, abilities, and skills) documented?

What measures, if any, protect employees from subjectivity?

Are employees asked to engage in any form of self-evaluation?

Do colleagues participate in peer evaluations such as 360-degree appraisals?

Does the performance appraisal process encourage employee development?

Aside from the written performance measures, what aspects contribute to success or failure in achieving performance improvement?

To prepare

Review this week’s media, “Performance Management,” and consider the best practices highlighted by this week’s presenters.

Reflect on the performance standards and appraisal systems used in your current organization or one with which you are familiar. With the above questions in mind, identify this organization’s strengths and areas for improvement.

Drawing from ideas presented in this week’s Learning Resources, think of specific ways you might improve your organization’s use of performance standards and/or the performance appraisal process.

Review the article, “Positive Discipline Reaps Retention.” As a nurse manager, how might you incorporate positive discipline into your performance management approach? What effect–good, bad, or indifferent–do you think it would have on your nursing staff?

Post a description of the performance appraisal system used in your workplace, including how performance standards are created and communicated to employees. Describe the effectiveness of the performance appraisal system by sharing at least two strengths and two areas for improvement. Conclude your posting by explaining how you might incorporate positive discipline into your performance management approach and what impact you think it will have.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days using one or more of the following approaches:

Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence, or research.

Share an insight from having read a colleague’s posting, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.

Expand on a colleague’s posting by providing additional insights or contrasting perspectives based on readings and evidence.

Required Readings

Lussier, R. N., & Hendon, J. R. (2016). Human resource management: Functions, applications, & skill development (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Chapter 8, “Performance Management and Appraisal” (pp. 274–314)

This chapter introduces the performance appraisal process. The authors explain how to effectively carry out performance appraisals, the methods of assessment one can use, and who should be responsible for assessing employees.

Chapter 9, “Rights and Employee Development&rdquo (pp. 316–355)

Chapter 9 provides an overview of employee rights and privileges. It also explains the processes of developing or terminating an employee, providing counseling for problem employees, and effectively using discipline and termination.

Dupee, J. M., Ernst, N. P., & Caslin, K. E. (2011). Does multisource feedback influence performance appraisal satisfaction? Nursing Management, 42(3), 12–16. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The article focuses on the effects of multisource feedback (MSF) in a nursing environment.

Murray, B. (2003). Positive discipline reaps retention. Nursing Management, 34(6), 19–22. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. 

Positive discipline can transform communication and relationships between nurse managers and nursing staff. This article examines how nurse managers at a medical center in Boise, Idaho shifted their feedback process to an Alternative Correction Action model based on positive discipline philosophies.

Required Media

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Performance management. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 32 minutes.

This week, the presenters discuss challenges of and best practices for performance management and appraisals.