2.3 Spotlight Application
Jamie is a nurse working on a general medical floor in a large urban teaching hospital. The typical assignment is between four and six patients depending on the acuity mix. Many of the patients are directly admitted patients or are transferred from the emergency department. Jamie has recently noticed a significant delay on weekend shifts with staff cleaning rooms and new patient admittance.
Jamie voiced concerns regarding the delays in room availability to the unit manager, Jo. Jo agreed that room turnover delays on the weekend have significantly increased in recent months and reported that they will investigate the delays further. A few weeks pass and Jo reports back that there have been staff reductions in the organization’s environmental services staff on the weekend shifts. As a result, room cleaning has been delayed significantly. Jo has voiced concerns regarding the delays, but administration has been reluctant to hire additional staff. Jamie and Jo both feel strongly that investment in staff is needed.