MHC6306 WEEK1-5 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND PROJECTS

• Week 1 Discussion

Discussion Topic

 

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Before beginning work on this discussion forum, please review the link “Doing Discussion Questions Right” the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this topic.

Before the end of the week, begin commenting on at least two of your classmates’ responses. You can ask technical questions or respond generally to the overall experience. Be objective, clear, and concise. Always use constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of positive progress. Submit your responses in the Discussion Area.

HRM Metrics in Healthcare Organizations

HRM metrics and measurements can be powerful in showing areas where healthcare organizations can improve and better meet the needs of the organization, employees, and patients or customers. HRM metrics can also help provide meaningful data to help make better decisions and changes.

Tasks:

In a minimum of 200 words, post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following:

• How should an HR department of a healthcare organization measure its effectiveness? For example, if job satisfaction has improved among nursing staff, how would you isolate the effect of HRM policies or programs from the effect of other organizational and external factors?
• Which of the commonly used HRM metrics would you, as an HR manager of a healthcare organization, use? Why? Use an organization as an example and briefly describe it.
• How should HRM metrics be used to measure the success of the HR department’s goals related to improving the performance indicators of the entire organization?

Provide reasons and evidence in support of your responses.

To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Your initial posting should be addressed at 300-500 words. Submit your document to this Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Be sure to cite your sources using APA format.

Respond to your peers throughout the week. Justify your answers with examples, research, and reasoning. Follow up posts need to be submitted by the end of the week.

Use the following rubric as a guide to complete your discussion responses.

• Week 1 Project

Assignment

 

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Before beginning work on this assignment, please review the expanded grading rubric for specific instructions relating to content and formatting.
From the South University Online Library, read the following:

The Importance of Human Resources Management to the Health Care System

Research the changes in the healthcare industry in the past five to ten years and the role of HRM in maintaining success while adapting to these changes. Select one healthcare trend for deeper study. On the basis of your research, present an analysis of the trend by addressing the following:

• Describe and explain the trend you selected, citing some important data. Focus on changes in the trends over the past five to ten years and the effects of these trends on HRM.
• Briefly note the common characteristics of an effective healthcare HR department and explain which of these characteristics will equip HRM to respond to the selected trend.
• Explain five common HRM metrics used to ensure positive outcomes and give an appropriate example of each metric as it applies to a healthcare organization.
• Explain the strategic importance of the selected trend as it relates to the overall plan of a healthcare organization and its HR department.
• State your opinion or conclusion about the selected trend on the basis of the research you conducted.

Submission Details:

• To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
• Present your analysis as a 2- to 3-page report in a Microsoft Word document formatted in APA style. On a separate page, cite all sources using APA format.
• Name your document SU_MHC6306_W1_A3_LastName_FirstInitial.doc.
• Submit your document to this appropriate Submissions Areaby the due date assigned.

• Week 2 Discussion

Discussion Topic

 

Before beginning work on this discussion forum, please review the link “Doing Discussion Questions Right,” the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this topic.

Before the end of the week, begin commenting on at least two of your classmates’ responses. You can ask technical questions or respond generally to the overall experience. Be objective, clear, and concise. Always use constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of positive progress. Submit your responses in the Discussion Area.

HRM and the Affordable Care Act

In 2010, the US Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since its passage, the act has withstood challenges to its constitutionality, and the majority of the law remains intact. The law requires “large employers” to offer “affordable” and “adequate” insurance coverage to their “full-time employees” as defined by the act, or, under the “play-or-pay” provisions, to pay a penalty.

Tasks:

In a minimum of 200 words, post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following:

• Has the ACA affected large employers and full-time, part-time, and temporary employees more positively or negatively? Why?
• What are the potential pitfalls for organizations trying to comply with the law?
• Is it good or bad that the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor play a role in the enforcement of this law? Why?
• Considering how the law affects healthcare organizations as employers and as healthcare providers, what is the best way for HRM in healthcare organizations to address the issues arising from the law?

Provide reasons and evidence in support of your responses.

To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Your initial posting should be addressed at 300-500 words. Submit your document to this Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Be sure to cite your sources using APA format.

Respond to your peers throughout the week. Justify your answers with examples, research, and reasoning. Follow up posts need to be submitted by the end of the week.

Use the following rubric as a guide to complete your discussion responses.

• Week 2 Project

Assignment

 

Before beginning work on this assignment, please review the expanded grading rubric for specific instructions relating to content and formatting.

In this assignment, you will learn how an HR manager addresses a staff complaint of sexual harassment.

Scenario: You are the HR manager of a healthcare organization. One of the newly appointed nurses has complained about a senior doctor. She claims that the doctor sends her obscene messages on her cell phone and also makes obscene gestures at her.

Tasks:

Write a paper addressing the following:

• How would you define sexual harassment? What is the legal definition?
• Does the complaint in the scenario fall under the definition of sexual harassment? Why or why not?
• What would be the implications of this complaint, if it is found true, for the senior doctor and the healthcare organization?
• How would you, as an HR manager, address this complaint? What does the law require of HRM in such cases?
• What steps would you take to prevent this kind of situation from recurring?

Submission Details:

• To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
• Your assignment should be addressed in a 2- to 3-page document.
• Submit your document to this appropriate Submissions Areaby the due date assigned.

 

 

• Week 3 Discussion

Discussion Topic

 

Before beginning work on this discussion forum, please review the link “Doing Discussion Questions Right,” the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this topic.

Before the end of the week, begin commenting on at least two of your classmates’ responses. You can ask technical questions or respond generally to the overall experience. Be objective, clear, and concise. Always use constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of positive progress. Submit your responses in the Discussion Area.

Job Description, Analysis, and Design and Mutual Respect and Trust

The knowledge of jobs is used for many purposes, certainly in the field of HRM for healthcare organizations. In particular, knowledge of what a job requires an employee to do—the basis for pay—is essential to make comparisons with other jobs for market pricing and as the first step in evaluating jobs internally. Today and every day, as leaders or managers, we want to emphasize the golden rule of treating others the way we want to be treated. We are working with a diverse team of people from many cultures, traditions, backgrounds, and belief. This is what makes us a strong, effective, and successful healthcare organization.

Tasks:

In a minimum of 200 words, post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following:

• Consider the differences among a job description, a job analysis, and a job design. What is the importance of each in healthcare HRM?
• How would you foster a climate of mutual respect and trust among your team members?
• Suppose you are developing the job description, analysis, and design for a clinical team leader position. Does diversity relate to the position at all? Explain your answer. If yes, how will you address it?

Provide reasons and evidence in support of your responses.

To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Your assignment should be addressed in an 16- to 20-PowerPoint presentation.

Submit your document to this appropriate Submissions Area by the due date assigned.

Use the following rubric as a guide to complete your discussion responses.

• Week 3 Project

Assignment

 

Before beginning work on this assignment, please review the expanded grading rubric for specific instructions relating to content and formatting.

In this assignment, you will explore the differences among educational levels, the scopes of practice, and credentialing and licensure requirements for various employees in a healthcare organization.

Scenario: You are the HR manager of a newly established healthcare organization. The board of directors of the organization asks you to prepare a presentation on the required profiles for the following roles:

• Administrator (i.e., chief executive officer, vice president of nursing or finance, etc.)
• Physician
• Registered nurse
• Nurse’s aide
• Laboratory technician
• Dietary aide
• Maintenance professional

Tasks:

For each role, provide the following information:

• Educational qualifications required for the role
• Scope of practice for the role
• Credentialing and licensure requirements for the role
• A description of the importance of the role in a healthcare organization
• Explain the legal aspects of the HRM role.

For the workforce as a whole, address the following:

• How would you build and maintain a climate of mutual respect and trust among employees?
• What is the importance of diversity in the workforce?

Submission Details:

• To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
• Your assignment should be addressed in an 16- to 20-PowerPoint presentation.
• Submit your document to this appropriate Submissions Area by the due date assigned..

 

 

 

 

 

• Week 4 Discussion

Discussion Topic

 

 

Before beginning work on this discussion forum, please review the link “Doing Discussion Questions Right,” the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this topic.

Before the end of the week, begin commenting on at least two of your classmates’ responses. You can ask technical questions or respond generally to the overall experience. Be objective, clear, and concise. Always use constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of positive progress. Submit your responses in the Discussion Area.

Employee Turnover and Future Staffing Needs

A high employee turnover in any industry can be a concern, more so in those that are customer centered. Industries that deal with people’s health are in an even more precarious position. Healthcare organizations with high attrition must consider how a “revolving door” of care providers affects the quality of care the organization is able to provide and the satisfaction of patients with their overall experience. HR professionals are responsible for staffing positions, training employees, providing benefits, and handling any problems or disciplinary actions. The day-to-day responsibilities of managing the workforce can leave little time for long-range planning.

Tasks:

Post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following:

• How does a high employee turnover rate impact the operations in a healthcare organization?
  Give examples of one clinical and one nonclinical position in your answer. For example, what is the effect of a high turnover among lab technicians and among billing staff?
• What data may be gathered and analyzed to assess the reasons for employee turnover?
  What additional data might HRM gather?
• What would you use for forecasting metrics for current and future staffing needs?
  Give an example of a particular healthcare setting (e.g., urban or rural, large or small hospital, or primary or tertiary care).
• What best practices would you recommend for reducing healthcare employee turnover? Explain at least three such best practices and their positive affect on a healthcare organization.
• Among clinical staff, would you target any particular age group for retention efforts? For example, would you make greater effort to retain younger staff for the organization’s long-term staffing needs or would you rather retain more experienced employees to improve the quality of care?

Provide reasons and evidence in support of your responses.
From the Internet, read the following:
Boyd, N., & Gessner, B. (2013). Human resource performance metrics: Methods and processes that demonstrate you care. Cross Cultural Management, 20(2), 251–273. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13527601311313508

To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Your initial posting should be addressed at 300-500 words. Submit your document to this Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Be sure to cite your sources using APA format.

Respond to your peers throughout the week. Justify your answers with examples, research, and reasoning. Follow up posts need to be submitted by the end of the week.

Use the following rubric as a guide to complete your discussion responses.

• Week 4 Project

Assignment

 

Before beginning work on this assignment, please review the expanded grading rubric for specific instructions relating to content and formatting.

Labor Union Issues

In this assignment, you will research labor relations and common labor union issues for the nursing staff in an acute care organization.

Tasks:

On the basis of your research, present an analysis addressing the following:

• What are the common labor union issues for nursing staff in an acute care organization? (You may select another setting of interest to you.) Explain at least five such issues.
• How can these issues be addressed by HRM?
• How do these issues impact contract negotiations and organizational performance?
• What challenges do you foresee related to labor union issues for nursing staff in an acute care organization?

Submission Details:

• To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
• Your assignment should be addressed in a 2- to 3-page document.
• Submit your document to this appropriate Submissions Areaby the due date assigned.

• Week 5 Discussion

Discussion Topic

 

Before beginning work on this discussion forum, please review the link “Doing Discussion Questions Right,” the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this topic.

Before the end of the week, begin commenting on at least two of your classmates’ responses. You can ask technical questions or respond generally to the overall experience. Be objective, clear, and concise. Always use constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of positive progress. Submit your responses in the Discussion Area.

Major Issues in Healthcare

As healthcare organizations move forward to the future, how healthcare is delivered in the United States will continue to be scrutinized.

Tasks:

Post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following:

• Identify the three major issues affecting healthcare organizations today.
• Describe the role HRM plays in dealing with or addressing these issues.
• Give an example of a healthcare setting and explain how you, as an HR manager in that setting, would respond to the three issues.

Provide reasons and evidence in support of your responses.

To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Your initial posting should be addressed at 300-500 words. Submit your document to this Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Be sure to cite your sources using APA format.

Respond to your peers throughout the week. Justify your answers with examples, research, and reasoning. Follow up posts need to be submitted by the end of the week.

Use the following rubric as a guide to complete your discussion responses.

• Week 5 Project

Assignment

 

Before beginning work on this assignment, please review the expanded grading rubric for specific instructions relating to content and formatting.

In this assignment, you will review compensation packages in healthcare organizations.

Tasks:

Select one healthcare organization of interest to you and research the compensation package in the organization.

• On the basis of your research and findings your paper should address the following:
• Do a cost-benefit analysis of the selected healthcare organization. Explain your analysis of the cost-benefit ratio and how it helps an organization.
• Explain the impact of the cost-benefit ratio on recruitment and retention strategies of a healthcare organization.
• Outline ways to improve the cost-benefit ratio of the selected healthcare organization.
• Explain the role of HRM in ensuring the most competitive compensation package for employees.
• Describe methods of improving the compensation package of the selected healthcare organization. Explain how your recommendations could enhance recruitment and retention strategies of the organization.
• Discuss how you would address competitive compensation, benefits packages, career development, and succession planning in working towards the selected healthcare organization’s strategic goals.

Submission Details:

• To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
• Your assignment should be addressed in an 8- to 10-page document.
• Submit your document to this appropriate Submissions Areaby the due date assigned.