| Risk Factor | Potential Impact(s) on the Organization | Strategies to Mitigate or Control the Impact of the Factor |
| High workloads
(Internal) |
Nursing staff are often asked to give their additional hours due to staffing issues in the facility. This prompts staff members to make errors in certain areas due to the excessive workload. | To prevent errors in the facility that occur due to staff shortage, the department can make a schedule for the routine tasks of each staff member. This will help the department manage the workload and pay out enough money to the staff members according to their designation and responsibilities throughout each department. |
| Smoking
(External) |
Smoking is injurious to health, but it poses more danger when it is around oxygen in a nursing home. For instance, a patient with a sleeping disorder in the nursing home would have difficulty falling asleep. The patient may experience daytime dozing, agitation, and mood alterations as exposure to smoke can affect sleep quality because Nicotine, which is present in cigarettes, can delay the onset of sleep due to its stimulating effects. | Nursing staff should assess the patient’s specific situation and determine if there is any person with a sleep disorder in the nursing home. If smoking is allowed, smoking would be prohibited around the nursing home to create a comfortable and healthy area to live in. Also, limit disturbances such as cigarettes, caffeine, and noise so that individuals are not inclined towards smoking and get to bed relaxed. |
| Operational hazards
(Internal) |
In a facility like a nursing home, operational hazards cause serious issues for the residents as they suffer with their everyday needs. Elderly citizens in the United States face increased risks due to a number of operational hazards in the facility. This leads to residents experiencing fall injuries, bed sores, slips, medication errors, or other risks. | The Director of Nursing in the nursing home facility should execute a plan for the nurse staff, ensuring each staff member has appropriate knowledge or qualifications of the operational facilities and adequate training to work in such a facility. |
| Medication errors
(Internal) |
In nursing homes, proper administration of correct medication is the responsibility of the nurse staff, as wrong medication administration can affect care costs, patient safety, and overall quality of care. It can also lead to psychological distress for the nurse if anything happens to the patient. These errors may result in worsened health conditions, adverse drug reactions, or even fatalities in serious cases (Andersson et al., 2018). Nursing homes may also face serious damage to their reputation, leading to stress and burnout among nurses, as well as penalties for medication management. | Nursing staff would receive regular training sessions on safe medication practices and error prevention.
The Director of Nursing at the nursing homes should implement a system where nursing staff independently verify medication administration to reduce errors. The personnel should also develop and follow standardized protocols for medication administration, including dosage calculations and timing. Moreover, the nursing home administration should encourage reporting errors without any fear. |
| Viral infections
(External) |
In nursing homes, people often catch infections, including skin problems, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, or other viral infections. Patients’ skin suffers from problems such as cellulitis. | Patients’ rooms and workspaces for nursing staff should be thoroughly evaluated to make sure that the facility has an adequate supply of masks and sanitizing agents. In addition, staff members should be properly trained to use the supplies in case patients suffer from infections. |
| Regulatory changes
(External) |
Changes in the organization’s regulations may affect staffing requirements, infection control, medication errors, and overall quality of care provided to patients, reshaping nursing home care (Shuman & Bebeau, 1996). | The staff and administrators at the nursing home should closely monitor regulatory updates regarding care ethics, technology, and organizational protocols to understand and implement new regulations effectively. |
| Slips and falls
(Internal) |
Patients, usually seniors, when they try to get up from their beds, suffer from falls because of weakness, or they sometimes fall due to spills on the floor. In such a condition, they hurt and cause themselves serious injury. | As a manager of a nursing home, I am responsible for taking extra care of elderly patients. If a spill is noticed on the floor or around their beds, it must be cleaned right away. Also, routine checks should be completed on patients. |
| Technological advancements
(External) |
Nursing homes utilize technologies such as electronic medication management systems that allow nurse staff to collect patient data and focus on critical tasks. However, if the nursing staff does not know how to use certain technology, there may be instances of errors in technology management. Adapting new technologies can be expensive, and integrating them into the nursing home facility’s existing workflow may require significant effort. | The management of the nursing home should provide comprehensive training to the nursing staff on using new technology effectively by communicating its benefits, addressing the potential risks associated with technology, and involving staff members early in the process. In addition, the management of nursing homes should involve other stakeholders, including residents, healthcare professionals, and patients’ families, in decision-making to ensure alignment with their needs. |
| Inadequate knowledge levels of staff
(Internal) |
When the staff members do not have enough knowledge of the roles they are responsible for performing, they may provide suboptimal care to elderly patients in nursing homes. This includes medication errors, infections, and other adverse events which lead to poor patient outcomes. | Regular training and professional development programs can enhance staff knowledge and skills regarding patient care. Moreover, regular supervision can help managers identify knowledge gaps so they can address them promptly for optimal care. |
| Employee turnover
(Internal) |
Heavy workloads and poor scheduling of the staff members’ tasks often lead to employee turnover, which impacts operational efficiency and quality of care. When caregivers leave the nursing home frequently, continuity of care is disrupted, which affects the well-being of the residents. | Encouraging direct lines of communication between staff and management of the nursing home can foster a positive work environment, improving the work-life balance of the nursing staff. Offering competitive salaries and benefits can retain skilled staff at the facility. |
References
Andersson, Å., Frank, C., Willman, A. M., Sandman, P.-O., & Hansebo, G. (2018). Factors contributing to serious adverse events in nursing homes. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(1–2), e354–e362.
Shuman, S. K., & Bebeau, M. J. (1996). Ethical issues in nursing home care: Practice guidelines for difficult situations. Special Care in Dentistry, 16(4), 170–176.
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