Paper
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Strategies in the Acute Care Setting
Ward Changes over Time
Christine Duffield, RN, PhD, BScN, MHP, Centre for Health Services Management, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Learning Objective #1: Describe a range of changes to the profile of a nursing ward which may occur over time.
Learning Objective #2: Describe the challenges faced by nurse managers in managing significant change to a ward profile.
Much has been written about the need for health care systems to reduce costs and manage workforce shortages. Nurses are the largest component of the workforce and as a consequence are often the first to experience workplace reform. Data are frequently reported at the hospital-wide level indicating relative stability of the organisation and the nursing division during these periods. However, while some wards might remain relatively stable during times of great system change, this is not always the case. Mergers, downsizing and reengineering may all include changes in work assignments, modifications to clinical staffing and skill mix, and reductions in management positions and may result in increased turnover, negative work environments and less job satisfaction. In particular, hospitals are now less likely to have enough registered nurse, adequate support services, supervisors who are supportive of nursing, an influential chief nurse executive, and other organisational characteristics associated with good patient outcomes. This paper will discuss the challenges faced by first-line nurse managers, charged with responsibility for ensure adequate and safe care is provided at the ward level.

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See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)