Assignment Workplace Environment Assessment

Is every hospital environment a suitable place for nurses to work? Definitely no. According to Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory (Clark, 2015), my workplace scores 54 which is unhealthy. Often, characterizing an unhealthy workplace are such aspects as ineffective communication, dishonest and unprofessional behavior, and tendency to impose policies and or create uneasy relationships between the employees and employer (“How To Deal With an Unhealthy Work Environment”, 2021). The organization scored highest (5) only in two parameters, namely the members of the organization sharing a common vision and mission that hinge on such factors as trustworthiness, respect and collegiality, which in this case encompass the dedication to serve and care for the patient with the best possible care available. The second score of 5 came in parameter number four, which assesses whether the facility views employees as assets and valued partners of the hospital. In this case however, it seems the understanding comes largely from the fact that the hospital cannot run without staff. Noteworthy is that the morale, engagement and level of employee satisfaction was very low and most employees cannot recommend their work stations as great places to work to their relatives and companions. A mentorship program appears to be a dream yet to be fulfilled.

The above three variables, morale, employee engagement and employee satisfaction, had the lowest scores of 1 each. Furthermore, salaries tend to delay most of the time, compelling the best and the brightest minds to leave the organization for more greener pastures. Inadequate teamwork and resources, tense policies characterized by strong disagreement of contradicting ideas, and limited freedom of expression have been identified as the key constraining factors. Others include poor conflict resolution strategies and plans, decision making that primarily remains the task of management with los staff input, and the fact that individual and collective achievements being rarely recognized and celebrated.

Opportunities for career development and promotions are few and far between. Little trust exists between the formal leadership and other members of the workplace evident by a lot of “spies” in the organization. The worrying parameter almost at its worst is communication. While communication is key to the success of any organization (Espinel et al., 2018), for this facility, it appears that there is not enough knowledge regarding the essence of clear communication pathways. Surprisingly, I realized that some of my colleagues get access to information days or weeks before it reaches the rest of us. The employees are treated in a disrespectful manner with no emphasis on their wellness and self-care. Only one parameter was neutral, namely the assessment of the organizations culture on an ongoing basis, with a score of three.

The above results left me astonished. How comes there is no mentorship program in this facility! Strong mentorship improves “employee productivity, clinical skills, medical knowledge and career preparation,” (Sayan et al., 2019). The environment in the hospital and practice of nursing requires counselling and guidance especially to the novice nurses by the experienced nurses, an aspect that is critical for competency, professional advancement and promotion of leadership. The nursing practice also requires emotional support in dealing with matters of death of clients. The organization’s failure to put in place a working and comprehensive mentorship program was unexpected due to what Nowell et al. (2017) describes as the recurring global calls for mentorship in nursing institutions. I was also amazed by the limited opportunities for promotions and career development. This perhaps explains why best minds leave the organization in search of better opportunities. The importance of employee motivation in the inform of promotions and opportunities for career development cannot be overemphasized.

Prior to taking the assessment, I already had a belief that this institution does not offer a conducive work environment. The resultant score of 54, which is low, confirms that the working environment is not ideal both for the working staff and the delivery of better patient healthcare. This kind of environment could probably be responsible for the observed increase in patient stay and consequently, the high cost of healthcare. The limited availability of resources for development, employee motivations, mentorship among others resulted in underperformance of the nursing staff, who are typically caring, kind, confident, honest, respectful and courageous.

Explain how the theory or concept presented in the article(s) relates to the results of your Work Environment Assessment.