Regina Temple on the Reasons Workers in Healthcare Leave

 

istockphoto.com

Regina Temple Looks at Working Conditions in Healthcare

Nursing staff and so many other healthcare workers have to deal with trauma and stress, not to mention death, in different circumstances. According to Regina Temple, for those working in long-term care and assisted living facilities, caring for residents and feeling responsible for loved ones can become taxing if the working conditions are not the least bit ideal. 

What do healthcare workers deal with in clinics and hospitals?

Working conditions comprise a wide range of issues. These span from adequate staffing to efficient management processes to proper PPE. Nursing staff and other workers can also deal with negative working conditions as they deal with patients and residents themselves.

Regina Temple gives an example of patient frustrations and discrimination as some of the issues healthcare workers have to deal with outside of other, more prevalent matters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Many workers have experienced physical or verbal attacks by patients and their family members via threats, obscenities, and even violence. Unfortunately, all this in the healthcare setting is nothing new. Researchers found that between 8% and 38% of all employees in healthcare around the world experience some form of violence. It has only compounded an already stressful environment.

More studies show that healthcare workers depend a lot on leadership and management to keep working conditions on the positive side and create a better work culture. Regina Temple believes that having effective leadership and support from leaders and supervisors, as well as other administrative staff, is key to addressing and solving employee concerns and preventing issues like job dissatisfaction.

Then, there's the issue of staffing shortages.

istockphoto.com

Healthcare workers deal with payroll errors and miscommunication, staffing shortages, and scheduling issues. They also deal with denied paid time off or sick leave. These are some issues facing management in healthcare. With the work and stress load that most workers already bear, poor management practices for vital administrative tasks may be the last straw for some employees. Many healthcare facilities are still struggling with staffing shortages, causing longer wait times for patients. In fact, it has been reported that staffing shortages are a top concern for patient safety.

According to Regina Temple, if fundamental needs, such as an adequate number of staff, aren't met, it may be easier for nurses to make mistakes on their paperwork and may also forget to complete documentation. They may unintentionally neglect patient needs because they become overwhelmed with other tasks. 

As of March 2022, 28% of nursing facilities have at least one kind of staff shortage. Moreover, most assisted living communities face staffing shortages, while almost a third of these communities report severe shortages. 

Another study found that an overwhelming majority of assisted living facilities have asked some of their nursing staff to take on overtime work or extra shifts, while 28% limit new residents as well as patient admissions due to staffing shortages. 

 Regina Temple has served in the healthcare community for over 30 years with experiences ranging from for-profit to not-for-profit organizations, unionized to non-unionized facilities and acute care settings to outpatient centers. Read similar articles on healthcare and leadership from Regina Temple by clicking here.