Reference no: EM132226516
Aldenbrook County Hospital is an inner-city teaching hospital with 625 beds. The organization is having problems with the Patient Transportation Department, which reports to the Vice President of Nursing. The department has 23.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, including 17.5 full-time and part-time transporters, a supervisor, 2 dispatchers, a mechanic, and 2 front door attendants. Of the 17.5 transporters, 5 are assigned Monday through Friday to radiology. Transporters serve all areas of the hospital except critical care and the emergency room.
The Department has strained relations with every other department in the hospital, significant morale and behavior problems. Additionally, patients and families have complained about inconsistent and lengthy response times ranging from 14 minutes to two hours and nine minutes (129 minutes). The average educational level of the Department’s employees is eighth grade and their ethnicities reflect the neighborhood where the hospital is located: 70% African American, 15% Hispanic, and 15% Caucasian. Many have never worked in a hospital before and have no idea of how to dress. They come to work in whatever clothes they have at home, including jeans and graphic tee shirts. Training is on-the-job and transport techniques are sloppy at best. A patient slipped between a bed and a gurney last week, and the case is now under review with both hospital and patient attorneys. On top of everything, lost transport equipment is costing Aldenbrook County Hospital over $50,000 per year. You are the brand new VP of nursing, these issues were never discussed with you during the interviewing process.
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the facts of this case?
2. Describe the management issues in this case.
3. What theories can you use to describe the employee’s behavior?
4. Do you think the employees are being deliberately late and sloppy? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if you were the new VP of Nursing and you weren’t informed about these issues?
6. What would you do to gain the trust of these employees?
7. What is the first thing the VP of Nursing needs to do?
8. What long-term strategies should the VP of Nursing consider implementing?