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Problem Solving in Nursing: Strategies for Your Staff

4 min read • September, 15 2023

Problem solving is in a nurse manager’s DNA. As leaders, nurse managers solve problems every day on an individual level and with their teams. Effective leaders find innovative solutions to problems and encourage their staff to nurture their own critical thinking skills and see problems as opportunities rather than obstacles.

Health care constantly evolves, so problem solving and ingenuity are skills often used out of necessity. Tackling a problem requires considering multiple options to develop a solution. Problem solving in nursing requires a solid strategy.

Nurse problem solving

Nurse managers face challenges ranging from patient care matters to maintaining staff satisfaction. Encourage your staff to develop problem-solving nursing skills to cultivate new methods of improving patient care and to promote  nurse-led innovation .

Critical thinking skills are fostered throughout a nurse’s education, training, and career. These skills help nurses make informed decisions based on facts, data, and evidence to determine the best solution to a problem.

Problem-Solving Examples in Nursing

To solve a problem, begin by identifying it. Then analyze the problem, formulate possible solutions, and determine the best course of action. Remind staff that nurses have been solving problems since Florence Nightingale invented the nurse call system.

Nurses can implement the  original nursing process  to guide patient care for problem solving in nursing. These steps include:

• Assessment . Use critical thinking skills to brainstorm and gather information.
• Diagnosis . Identify the problem and any triggers or obstacles.
• Planning . Collaborate to formulate the desired outcome based on proven methods and resources.
• Implementation . Carry out the actions identified to resolve the problem.
• Evaluation . Reflect on the results and determine if the issue was resolved.

How to Develop Problem-Solving Strategies

Staff look to nurse managers to solve a problem, even when there’s not always an obvious solution. Leaders focused on problem solving encourage their team to work collaboratively to find an answer. Core leadership skills are a good way to nurture a health care environment that supports sharing concerns and  innovation .

Here are some essentials for building a culture of innovation that encourages problem solving:

• Present problems as opportunities instead of obstacles.
• Strive to be a positive role model. Support creative thinking and staff collaboration.
• Encourage feedback and embrace new ideas.
• Respect staff knowledge and abilities.
• Match competencies with specific needs and inspire effective decision-making.
• Offer opportunities for  continual learning and career growth.
• Promote research and analysis opportunities.
• Provide support and necessary resources.
• Recognize contributions and reward efforts .

Embrace Innovation to Find Solutions

Try this exercise:

Consider an ongoing departmental issue and encourage everyone to participate in brainstorming a solution. The team will:

• Define the problem, including triggers or obstacles.
• Determine methods that worked in the past to resolve similar issues.
• Explore innovative solutions.
• Develop a plan to implement a solution and monitor and evaluate results.

Problems arise unexpectedly in the fast-paced health care environment. Nurses must be able to react using critical thinking and quick decision-making skills to implement practical solutions. By employing problem-solving strategies, nurse leaders and their staff can  improve patient outcomes  and refine their nursing skills.

Images sourced from Getty Images

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What is Problem-Solving in Nursing? (With Examples, Importance, & Tips to Improve)

Whether you have been a nurse for many years or you are just beginning your nursing career, chances are, you know that problem-solving skills are essential to your success. With all the skills you are expected to develop and hone as a nurse, you may wonder, “Exactly what is problem solving in nursing?” or “Why is it so important?” In this article, I will share some insight into problem-solving in nursing from my experience as a nurse. I will also tell you why I believe problem-solving skills are important and share some tips on how to improve your problem-solving skills.

What Exactly is Problem-Solving in Nursing?

5 reasons why problem-solving is important in nursing, reason #1: good problem-solving skills reflect effective clinical judgement and critical thinking skills, reason #2: improved patient outcomes, reason #3: problem-solving skills are essential for interdisciplinary collaboration, reason #4: problem-solving skills help promote preventative care measures, reason #5: fosters opportunities for improvement, 5 steps to effective problem-solving in nursing, step #1: gather information (assessment), step #2: identify the problem (diagnosis), step #3: collaborate with your team (planning), step #4: putting your plan into action (implementation), step #5: decide if your plan was effective (evaluation), what are the most common examples of problem-solving in nursing, example #1: what to do when a medication error occurs, how to solve:, example #2: delegating tasks when shifts are short-staffed, example #3: resolving conflicts between team members, example #4: dealing with communication barriers/lack of communication, example #5: lack of essential supplies, example #6: prioritizing care to facilitate time management, example #7: preventing ethical dilemmas from hindering patient care, example #8: finding ways to reduce risks to patient safety, bonus 7 tips to improve your problem-solving skills in nursing, tip #1: enhance your clinical knowledge by becoming a lifelong learner, tip #2: practice effective communication, tip #3: encourage creative thinking and team participation, tip #4: be open-minded, tip #5: utilize your critical thinking skills, tip #6: use evidence-based practices to guide decision-making, tip #7: set a good example for other nurses to follow, my final thoughts, list of sources used for this article.

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Applied Problem-Solving in Healthcare Management 1st Edition

Note to Readers: Publisher does not guarantee quality or access to any included digital components if book is purchased through a third-party seller.

Applied Problem-Solving in Healthcare Management is a practical textbook devoted to developing and strengthening problem-solving and decision-making leadership competencies of healthcare administration students and healthcare management professionals. Built upon the University of Minnesota Master of Healthcare Administration Program’s Problem-Solving Method, the text describes the “never assume” mindset and the structured method that drive evidence-based, action-oriented problem-solving. The “never assume” mindset requires healthcare leaders to understand themselves and their stakeholders, and to engage in waves of divergent and convergent thinking. This structured method guides the problem solver through the phases of defining, studying, and acting on complex interrelated organizational problems that involve multiple root causes. The book also describes how the Problem-Solving Method is complementary to quality improvement methods and can be used in healthcare organizations along with Lean, Design Thinking, and Human Centered Design.

Providing step-by-step instruction including useful tips, tools, activities, and case studies, this effective resource demonstrates the utility of the method for all types of health organization settings including health systems, hospitals, clinics, population health, and long-term care. For students taking health management, capstone, and experiential learning courses, including internship and residency projects, this book allows them to test and apply their problem-solving and decision-making skills to real-world situations. Beyond the classroom, it is an indispensable resource for organizations seeking to enhance the problem-solving skills of their workforce.

The authors of the text have nearly 75 years of combined experience in healthcare management, leadership, and professional consulting, and teaching and advising healthcare administration students in classrooms, on student capstone, internship and residency projects, and case competitions. Synthesizing their expertise, this text serves as a guide for those who wish to strengthen their problem-solving abilities to systematically identify, analyze, study, and solve pressing organizational challenges in healthcare settings.

• Describes a mindset and a structured problem-solving method that builds leadership competencies
• Encourages a step-by-step problem-solving approach to define, study, and act on problems to drive action-oriented solutions
• Supports experiential learning and coaching for students and professionals early in their careers, applicable especially to healthcare management, capstone, and student consulting courses, internship and residency projects, case competitions, and professional development in organizations
• Compares the Problem-Solving Method to other complementary methods used in many healthcare organizations, including Lean, Design Thinking, and Human Centered Design
• Includes access to the fully downloadable eBook as well as ancillary materials such as Instructor’s Manual and Sample Syllabi
• ISBN-10 0826165648
• ISBN-13 978-0826165640
• Edition 1st
• Publisher Springer Publishing Company
• Publication date October 22, 2020
• Language English
• Dimensions 7 x 0.5 x 10 inches
• Print length 312 pages
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

About the author.

Sandra Potthoff, PhD is a retired Professor from the University of South Florida, Tampa, where she served as the Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management.

Justine Mishek, MHA is an experienced graduate education lecturer and healthcare management consultant. Ms. Mishek currently serves as Senior Lecturer for the University of Minnesota Masters of Healthcare Administration Program and is a part of the Program Leadership Team.

Gregory Hart, MHA is a principal with CliftonLarsenAllen (CLA) where he serves in the healthcare consulting practice and an alumni of the University of Minnesota MHA Program. Mr. Hart has more than 40 years of experience in healthcare leadership and management. Before joining CLA in 1995 he served as CEO for the University of Minnesota Health System, an academic medical center. Mr. Hart is a Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Springer Publishing Company; 1st edition (October 22, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0826165648
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0826165640
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.5 x 10 inches
• #23 in Health Care Administration
• #238 in Public Health Administration
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Communication Skills, Problem-Solving Ability, Understanding of Patients’ Conditions, and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism among Clinical Nurses: A Structural Equation Model Analysis

This study was intended to confirm the structural relationship between clinical nurse communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Due to changes in the healthcare environment, it is becoming difficult to meet the needs of patients, and it is becoming very important to improve the ability to perform professional nursing jobs to meet expectations. In this study method, structural model analysis was applied to identify factors influencing the perception of professionalism in nurses. The subjects of this study were 171 nurses working at general hospitals in city of Se, Ga, and Geu. Data analysis included frequency analysis, identification factor analysis, reliability analysis, measurement model analysis, model fit, and intervention effects. In the results of the study, nurse’s perception of professionalism was influenced by factors of communication skills and understanding of the patient’s condition, but not by their ability to solve problems. Understanding of patient’s condition had a mediating effect on communication skills and nursing awareness. Communication skills and understanding of the patient’s condition greatly influenced the nurse’s perception of professionalism. To improve the professionalism of clinical nurses, nursing managers need to emphasize communication skills and understanding of the patient’s condition. The purpose of this study was to provide a rationale for developing a program to improve job skills by strengthening the awareness of professional positions of clinical nurses to develop nursing quality of community.

1. Introduction

Changes in the environment related to climate and pollution are causing health problems and various diseases such as respiratory and circulatory problems, metabolic disorders, and chronic diseases. Moreover, access to modern healthcare facilities has created greater expectations among patients receiving personalized healthcare and high-quality healthcare. As the difficulty of satisfying the demands of patients increases, enhancing nursing capabilities has become increasingly important [ 1 ]. To improve this, hospitals are making efforts to change the internal and external environments so as to increase the number of nurses, reduce the length of hospital stays, and enable efficient nursing practice. Despite these efforts, the workloads of nurses and the demand for clinical nurses are continuously increasing [ 2 , 3 ]. As a result, nurses are developing negative attitudes and prejudices toward patients, as well as negative perceptions of professionalism. To address this, the cultivation and strengthening of nursing professionals’ capabilities is essential.

Nurses’ perception of professionalism is an important element influencing their ability to perform independent nursing, and a good perception of their profession results in a positive approach to solving patients’ problems [ 4 , 5 ]. In addition, the characteristics and abilities of individual nurses can influence the level of care and enable them to understand patients, solve problems, and provide holistic care, which is the ultimate goal of the nursing process [ 6 , 7 ]. Thus, patients expect nurses to not only have medical knowledge of the disease but to also be able to comprehensively assess the patient’s problems and be independent and creative in nursing [ 8 ]. This attitude can have a major impact on the quality of nursing services and can inspire pride in the nursing occupation and professional achievement. These findings can also be used by nurses to prevent burnout and maintain professionalism [ 9 , 10 ].

To respond to the increasing demands for diverse qualitative and quantitative nursing services and to strengthen the capabilities of nursing professionals, efforts have been made to move nursing education toward scientific and creative education. However, in point-of-care environments, not only are nurses prevented from making independent decisions regarding nursing, but also the diverse personal capabilities necessary for such independent behavior are not sufficiently developed [ 11 ]. Therefore, it is important to enhance clinical nurses’ perceptions of the nursing profession; maintain a balance of nursing capabilities; provide novel, high-quality nursing services; and identify assistive nursing education methods and obstructive environmental factors [ 10 ].

Communication skills involve a person’s ability to accurately understand (through both verbal and non-verbal indications) another person, and sufficiently deliver what the person desires [ 12 , 13 ]. Good communication skills are a primary requirement for providing professional nursing services because they enable an in-depth understanding of patients, solving of complicated problems, and reasonable and logical analysis of situations [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. When effective communication takes place, nurses’ problem-solving abilities and perceived professionalism strengthen [ 17 , 18 ].

According to Park [ 19 ], nurses have difficulties in interpersonal relationships when social tension and interaction skills are low and communication is poor. In addition, these factors are negatively affected not only in the work of the nurse but also in the perception of the profession. Communication skills are associated with both the formation of relationships with patients and the ability to perform holistic nursing [ 20 ]. In order to improve and develop the overall nursing function of a clinical nurse like this, it is important to complement the relevant integrated nursing abilities [ 21 , 22 ].

Previous studies have investigated the importance of communication skills for nurses, and the relationships between nurses’ problem-solving ability and their understanding of the patients’ conditions. Nonetheless, data that can comprehensively explain the structural relationships between these qualities and how they affect the job perception of nurses remains insufficient.

Therefore, the present study aims to identify the structural model for the relationships between nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Additionally, the study provides basic data necessary for developing programs for improving nursing abilities.

The purpose of this study is to construct a theoretical model that explains the structural relationships among nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. In addition, the study aimed to verify this model using empirical data.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. study design.

To create and analyze the structural model for clinical nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the theoretical relationships among the variables were developed based on related theories.

In this study, communication skills were set as the exogenous variables, whereas problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and perception of the nursing occupation were set as the endogenous variables. In addition, communication skills were set as the independent variables and nursing job perceptions as the dependent variable. This is because the ability of communication helps to maintain an intimate relationship with the patient and to assess the patient’s condition through each other’s relationship and to solve problems and develop correct understanding. Communication skills, problem-solving ability, and understanding of patients’ conditions were set as the parameters for determining causality. The research model is shown in Figure 1 .

Study model.

2.2. Study Participants

The structural equation model has less than 12 measurement variables. The sample size usually requires 200 to 400 participants [ 23 ]. A total of 250 participants were selected for the study. In line with ethical standards and practices, participants received a full explanation on the purpose of the study. They were briefed that the information collected would be used for research purposes only. Furthermore, they were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time.

2.3. Data Collection Method

Data collection for this study was performed by two researchers unrelated to the hospital from April 20 to May 1, 2019. A questionnaire was used to collect data from clinical nurses working in five hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon provinces. Of the 250 questionnaires disseminated, we received 225 completed returns. However, 54 were considered inaccurate, inconsistent, or unsatisfactory for coding purposes. Thus, 171 fully completed valid questionnaires comprised the final dataset for analysis.

2.4. Research Instruments

2.4.1. communication skills.

In this study, the communication skill instrument developed by Lee and Jang [ 24 ] was used. Its contents were modified and supplemented to clearly understand the communication skills of nurses. Our questionnaire comprised 20 questions with five questions each concerning “interpretation ability,” “self-reveal,” “leading communication,” and “understanding others’ perspectives.” The answers were rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree.” For this study, the Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.81.

2.4.2. Problem-Solving Ability

The tool developed by Lee [ 25 ] was used to measure the problem-solving ability of clinical nurses. The survey comprised 25 questions, with five questions each concerning “problem recognition,” “information-gathering,” “divergent thinking,” “planning power,” and “evaluation.” Items were scored on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree.” The internal consistency confidence value Cronbach’s alpha was 0.79.

2.4.3. Understanding Patients’ Condition

To measure nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions, we developed 10 questions by revising and supplementing items from an existing understanding-measurement tool [ 26 ]. With a total of ten questions, we measured “diagnostic name,” “patient-treatment planning,” and “nursing intervention processes.” Items were scored using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree.” The internal consistency confidence value Cronbach’s alpha was 0.81.

2.4.4. Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism

Nurse’s perception of professionalism was measured using a tool developed by revising the 25 questions created by Kang et al. [ 1 ]. With a total of ten questions, we measured “vocation” and “autonomy.” Items were scored using a five-point Likert scale. The internal consistency confidence value Cronbach’s alpha was 0.81.

2.5. Data Analysis

To identify the relationships among the set variables, the data were computed statistically using the program included in IBM SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 23.0. (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The analysis methods were as follows:

• Frequency analysis was conducted to identify the subjects’ demographic and general characteristics.
• The reliability of the questionnaire was verified using Cronbach’s α coefficients.
• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to verify the convergent validity of the selected measurement tool.
• The normality of the data was determined through analyzing the skewness and kurtosis of the measurement variables.
• The fitness of the model was verified using structural equation modeling (SEM).
• Bootstrapping was utilized to verify the mediating effect in the set study model, as well as the mediating effects of the nurses’ problem-solving ability and understanding of patients’ conditions.

3.1. Demographic Characteristics

The demographic and general characteristics of the study subjects are shown in Table 1 . Overall, 71 respondents were aged 25–29 years (41.5%), representing the most numerous age group. University graduates comprised 113 (66.1%) of the sample, while 50 (29.2%) held graduate degrees, with eight (4.7%) holding master’s degrees. Fifty-three respondents (31.0%) had over seven years of clinical experience, 43 (25.1%) had two to three years of experience, 42 (24.6%) had four to six years of experience, and 33 (19.3%) had less than two years of experience. Additionally, 121 respondents (70.8%) worked at secondary hospitals, while 50 (29.2%) worked at tertiary hospitals; 159 respondents (93.0%) reported that they were general nurses.

Participants’ general characteristics ( N = 171, %).

3.2. Technical Metrics of the Measurement Variables

The multivariate normality of the findings related to the factors of the latent variables was verified through standard deviations, skewness, and kurtosis. The present study meets the criteria for the skewness and kurtosis values mentioned by Hu and Bentler [ 27 ].

All sub-factors of the latent variables secured normality.

In this study, a normal distribution was obtained for each of the four sub-factors of communication skills, five sub-factors of problem-solving ability, three sub-factors for understanding the patient’s condition, and two sub-factors of the nurse’s perception of professionalism as shown in Table 2 .

Technical metrics of the measurement variables ( N = 171).

3.3. Correlations between the Measured Variables

The correlations between the measurement variables were analyzed using Pearson’s product–moment correlation coefficient analysis ( Table 3 ). The correlations among all individual measurement variables were found to show a positive correlation.

Correlations between the observed variables.

3.4. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Measurement Model

This study examined how well the measurement variables represented the latent variables in the measurement model. Each set path coefficient was evaluated using non-standardization factors, standardization factors, and standard errors. The path coefficients refer to the factor loadings in CFA. The standardization factors of the individual paths were shown to be at least 0.50 (except for vocation: 0.36), and the critical ratio (CR) was at least 1.96. This indicated that the measurement tool had good convergent validity ( Table 4 ).

Confirmatory factor analysis of the measurement model.

*** p < 0.001; CR: critical ratio.

3.5. Verification of the Structural Model

The structural model for relationships among clinical nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ condition, and nurse’s perception of professionalism that would be suitable for predicting the influencing relationships was verified. Since the fitness index of the modified model was shown to be higher than that of the initial model, the final model for this study was set as shown in Figure 2 .

Final model. * χ 2 = 124.074 (df = 61, p <0.001), GFI(Goodness of Fit Index)= 0.90, RMSEA(Root Mean Square Error Approximation)=0.07, NFI(Normed Fit Index)=0.87, IFI(Incremental Fit Index)= 0.93, TLI(Tucker-Lewis Index)= 0.91, CFI(Comparative Fit Index)= 0.92.

3.6. Influencing Relationships between Variables of the Study Model

The standardization factors and CR values of the final model were examined to determine whether there were direct relationships between communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. The results are shown

For the relationship between communication ski in Table 5 .lls and problem-solving ability, the standardization factor was 0.85 and the CR value was 7.37; communication skills showed a statistically significant effect. Consequently. The relationship between communication skills and understanding of patients’ conditions also showed a statistically significant effect. Consequently, Hypothesis 1 was supported.

The relationships between the human effects of the measurement model.

* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001; CR: critical ratio.

For the relationship between communication skills and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the standardization factor was 0.54, and the CR value was 2.02. Communication skills showed a statistically significant effect. Consequently. For the relationship between problem-solving ability and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the standardization factor was −0.056, and the CR value was −0.39. Problem-solving ability had no statistically significant effect. Consequently.

The relationship between nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism had a statistically significant effect. Consequently Figure 2 shows the influencing relationships between the study variables of the final study model, considering non-standardization and standardization factors of the relationships between the study variables.

3.7. Direct and Indirect Effects of the Variables

To grasp the significance of the mediating effect in the final study model, the direct and indirect effects of each variable were examined. To examine the mediating effect of the problem-solving ability and understanding of patients’ conditions variables, the bootstrapping method provided by the AMOS 23.0 program included in IBM was utilized. The results are shown in Table 6 .

Mediating effect analysis.

* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001

The indirect effect of communication skills on nurse’s perception of professionalism through nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions was statistically significant. That is, clinical nurses’ communication skills have an indirect positive effect on their nurse’s perception of professionalism, with nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions acting as a parameter. We also found that the effect of communication skills on nurse’s perception of professionalism was statistically significant. Therefore, communication skills have a partially mediated effect on nurse’s perception of professionalism, with understanding of patients’ conditions acting as a parameter. However, communication skills were found to have no indirect positive effect on nurse’s perception of professionalism when problem-solving ability was set as a parameter.

4. Discussion

In this study, we developed and analyzed a hypothetical model regarding clinical nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, and understanding of patients’ conditions, and how these factors influence their nurse’s perception of professionalism.

4.1. Effect of Communication Skills on Nurses’ Perception of Professionalism

Communication skills were found to have statistically significant effects on their relationship with nurses’ problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Nurses’ communication skills not only affected their problem-solving ability but also their understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Good communication among nurses can reduce uncomfortable situations and improve interactions with patients, which can consequently enhance problem-solving [ 28 ]. Supporting our findings, Ancel [ 17 ] reported that communication skills afford the maintenance of amicable cooperative relationships with patients across diverse medical classes, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nursing-related problem-solving.

Nurses’ communication is also closely related to their understanding of patients’ conditions, particularly regarding the treatment processes. Nurses frequently experience difficulties as a result of poor communication with not only patients and their family members but also other medical personnel. Further, poor delivery of explanations and questions affects nurses’ understanding of patients’ situations and problems, and patients can also feel concern regarding whether nurses accurately understand their problems [ 29 ]. Nurses frequently experience psychological abuse when communicating with patients and develop stress or discomfort [ 30 ]; this can lead to distrustful relationships with and inhibited understanding of patients [ 31 , 32 ]. Vermeir et al. [ 18 ] reported that scientific approaches are required to understand patients in-depth. To accurately understand both oneself and others, the most important method is successful communication. Such findings support the present study’s indication that nurses’ communication is a basic means of solving nursing problems, with both actions being interrelated.

Our finding that nurses’ communication skills are structurally related to their nurse’s perception of professionalism supports the findings of many previous studies. Regarding nurse’s perception of professionalism, Adams et al. [ 33 ] as well as Lee and Kim [ 34 ] explained that a good perception leads to higher-level capabilities, fostering high-level nursing of patients and the development of autonomous vocation. The above studies reported that, since nurses’ communication skills are related to their nurse’s perception of professionalism, communication skills should be considered a predictor of success. Further, McGlynn et al. [ 35 ] recommended positively reinforcing communication skills to improve nurse’s perception of professionalism. This supports the findings of the present study, indicating that communication and nursing professional perception are interrelated.

Thus, communication skills are important for nursing patients. They enable nurses to accurately understand patients’ problems, serve (by forming patient trust) an important function in the process of administering nursing interventions, and positively affect nurses’ perception of their profession. As such, each concept is important. However, nurses working in the clinic are critically aware of their professionalism. In order to reinforce this, communication skills are required, and the emphasis is placed on strengthening the nurses’ ability to solve problems as well as assess and understand patients. As a result, communication skills play an important role in helping nurses understand patients’ problems accurately, build patient trust in nursing interventions, and create structural relationships that have a positive impact on the perception of nursing occupations. Therefore, efforts to improve nurses’ communication skills not only improve their problem-solving abilities and understanding of patients’ conditions but also improve their nurse’s perception of professionalism. To maintain the professionalism of nurses, “competency development programs” would be helpful, thereby emphasizing the need for their application in nursing colleges and clinical practice.

4.2. Relationship between Nurses’ Problem-Solving Ability and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism

We found clinical nurses’ problem-solving ability to have no positive effect on their perception of professionalism. This contrasts with previous studies, which reported that problem-solving ability is helpful for such perception of professionalism [ 36 ]. We also found that problem-solving ability does not affect nursing professional perception through a mediating effect.

The present findings indicate that the distinctiveness of the fields of nursing should not be overlooked. In nursing organizations that have a culture of discouraging diversity, when negative results are obtained from attempts to solve nursing problems, confusion regarding the identity of nursing professionals means perception of the profession is not reinforced; in many cases, the opposite perception is formed. Furthermore, for those in lower-level positions, nurse’s perception of professionalism is thought to be low because they cannot voice their opinions and have difficulties such as excessive workloads. Although few previous studies have directly examined this, Vermeir et al. [ 18 ] explained that, as the role expectation for nurses increases, factors for job turnover increase as a result of a sense of confusion regarding the nurses’ role and increases in stress. These findings indicate that factors that degrade nurses’ problem-solving ability induce skepticism regarding nursing and possibly career change, thereby supporting the findings of this study.

However, in the present study, positive results with low levels of relevancy in the structural model but high correlations were found. It is expected that, if nurses’ environmental conditions are improved and their nursing capabilities are developed so that they can solve nursing problems with confidence, their nursing professional perception will improve.

4.3. Relationship between Nurses’ Understanding of Patients’ Conditions and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism

Our findings indicated that the relationship between nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism was statistically significant. This supports Nilsson et al. [ 21 ] and Philip et al. [ 29 ], who reported that, in the fields of nursing, when patients accurately understand nurses’ instructions or explanations and health information, they can participate in, independently adjust, and engage in creative decision-making related to self-nursing.

McGlynn et al. [ 35 ] suggested that understanding patient problems is an important element in resolving negative situations; meanwhile, Heo and Lim [ 37 ] indicated that clinical nurses provide high-quality nursing services and develop self-efficacy when they apply professional knowledge and a desire to understand patients’ problems. These study findings accord with our own findings.

The aforementioned findings suggest that the development and application of programs that can enhance nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions should be emphasized, and that studies of various patient types, the characteristics of patients by age group and hospital areas, as well as the introduction of simulation education programs to improve nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions should be continuously implemented.

5. Conclusions

This study aimed to verify the structural relationships between clinical nurses’ communication skills and their problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. We also aimed to identify, through a structural model, the mediating effects of nurses’ problem-solving ability and understanding of patients’ conditions in the relationship between communication skills and nurse’s perception of professionalism.

The findings of this study are as follows (all significance levels = 0.05). In the relationship between communication skills and problem-solving ability, the value of the standardization factor was 0.85 and the CR value was 7.37, indicating that communication skills had a statistically significant effect. In the relationship between nurses’ communication skills and understanding of patients’ conditions, the value of the standardization factor was 0.61 and the CR value was 6.35, indicating that communication skills had a statistically significant effect. In the relationship between communication skills and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the value of the standardization factor was 0.54 and the CR value was 2.02, indicating that communication skills had a statistically significant effect. However, in the relationship between problem-solving ability and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the value of the standardization factor was −0.05 and the CR value was −0.39, indicating that problem-solving ability has no statistically significant effect. Finally, in the relationship between nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the value of the standardization factor was 0.56, and the CR value was 2.14, indicating that nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions has a statistically significant effect.

There are some limitations to this study. First, as we only examined nurses at secondary and tertiary university hospitals, our findings may not be generalizable to all clinical nurses. Replication studies examining a range of levels of medical institutions and associated workers are necessary. Second, the structural relationship between problem-solving ability and the nurse’s perception of professionalism turned out to be insignificant or mediated. Subsequent studies on the various approaches to revisit this structural relationship should be performed. Third, theories should be systematically developed to establish the values of the nursing profession, and additional studies are necessary to explore other variables.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the staff nurses who participated in the survey and took the time to complete the initial assessment.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; methodology, A.Y.K.; software, I.O.S.; validation, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; formal analysis, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; investigation, A.Y.K.; resources, A.Y.K.; data curation, A.Y.K.; writing—original draft preparation, A.Y.K.; writing—review and editing, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; visualization, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; supervision, I.O.S.; project administration, I.O.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Nurse leaders as problem-solvers

Addressing lateral and horizontal violence.

Anthony, Michelle R. PhD, RN; Brett, Anne Liners PhD, RN

Michelle R. Anthony is a program coordinator at Columbia (S.C.) VA Health Care System. Anne Liners Brett is doctoral faculty at the University of Phoenix in Tempe, Ariz.

Acknowledgment: The authors acknowledge the support of the University of Phoenix Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research.

The contents of this article do not represent the views of the US Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

The authors and planners have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

For more than 126 additional continuing-education articles related to management topics, go to NursingCenter.com/CE .

Earn CE credit online: Go to http://nursing.ceconnection.com and receive a certificate within minutes .

Read about a qualitative, grounded theory study that looked to gain a deeper understanding of nurse leaders' perceptions of their role in addressing lateral and horizontal violence, and the substantive theory developed from the results.

The issue of lateral and horizontal violence (LHV) has plagued the nursing profession for more than 3 decades, yet solutions remain elusive. The significance of LHV isn't lost on nurse leaders because it creates an unhealthy work environment. Research literature worldwide has continued to report the prevalence of disruptive behaviors experienced by nursing students, novice nurses, and seasoned nurses in the workforce. The World Health Organization, International Council of Nurses, and Public Services International have recognized this issue as a major global public health priority. 1

LHV, also called nurse-on-nurse aggression, disruptive behavior, or incivility, undermines a culture of safety and negatively impacts patient care. 2,3 This experience, known to nurses as “eating their young,” isn't only intimidating and disruptive, it's also costly and demoralizing to the nursing profession and healthcare organizations. 4,5 Although the impact of LHV can be dreadful for both the institution and its staff, little is known about the reasons for these behaviors among nursing professionals. 2

LHV encompasses all acts of meanness, hostility, disruption, discourtesy, backbiting, divisiveness, criticism, lack of unison, verbal or mental abuse, and scapegoating. 6 The sole intent of bullying behaviors is to purposefully humiliate and demean victims. Bullying behaviors also taint healthcare organizations; cause irreparable harm to workplace culture; breakdown team communication; and severely impact the quality of the care provided, thereby jeopardizing patient safety. 7,8 Researchers have reported that acts of LHV are used to demonstrate power, domination, or aggression; for retribution; to control others; and to enhance self-image. 9-12

Previous studies have shown that the frequency of LHV in healthcare organizations is quite severe, with about 90% of new nurses surveyed reporting acts of incivility by their coworkers. 13 Sixty-five percent of nurses in one survey reported witnessing incidents of despicable acts, whereas another 46% of coworkers in the same survey reported the issue as “very serious” and “somewhat serious.” 13

LHV poses a significant challenge for nurse leaders who are legally and morally responsible for providing a safe working environment. 2,6 The purpose of this qualitative, grounded theory study was to gain a deeper understanding of nurse leaders' perceptions of their role in addressing LHV and develop a substantive theory from the results.

Literature review

A paucity of evidence exists in the literature regarding how nurse leaders perceive their role in addressing LHV. 14 Studies have shown that this phenomenon is attributed to heavy workloads, a stressful work environment, and lack of workgroup cohesiveness, as well as organizational factors such as misuse of authority and the lack of organizational policies and procedures for addressing LHV behaviors. 15

In one study, one-third of the nurses reported that they had observed emotional abuse during several of their work shifts. 16 Another study indicated that 30% of survey respondents (n = 2,100) stated LHV occurs weekly. 17 A third study revealed that 25% of participants noted LHV happened monthly, and a fourth study of ED nurses reported that about 27.3% of the nurses had experienced LHV perpetrated by nursing leadership (managers, supervisors, charge nurses, and directors), physicians, or peers in the last 6 months. 18

In a survey completed by members of the Washington State Emergency Nurses Association, 27% of respondents experienced acts of bullying in the past 6 months. 19 Another study reported that 27% to 85% of nurse respondents had experienced some form of uncivil behavior. 20 Other data have shown that those more vulnerable to violent, disruptive, and intimidating behaviors are newly licensed nurses beginning their careers. 21

Although nurse leaders can be perpetrators of LHV, they play an essential role in addressing LHV behaviors and creating a safe work environment. 22 The literature suggests that, in many cases, a lack of awareness and response by nurse leaders adds to the prevalence of LHV. 23 This may be due, in part, to nurse leaders being aligned with the perpetrators who are creating the toxic work environment. 6 The literature suggests that an environment where staff members feel safe to practice results in a culture that decreases burnout and promotes nurse retention and quality outcomes. 24,25

This qualitative, grounded theory study focused on nurse leaders' perception of their role in breaking the cycle of LHV for staff members whom they supervise. Two research questions guided the study: 1. How do nurse leaders perceive their role in addressing LHV among nursing staff members under their supervision? 2. What substantive theory may emerge from the data collected during interviews with nurse leaders?

A grounded theory methodology was used to explore the nurse leader's role in addressing LHV with the intent of developing a substantive theory through the meaningful organization of data themes to provide a framework to address the phenomenon of LHV. Purposive sampling was used to recruit a total of 14 participants for this study from a large healthcare system in the Southeastern US. The participants were chosen because of their experience with LHV and their ability to discuss and reflect on those experiences. Informed consent was obtained before the start of the study, which included explaining the reason for the study and what to expect. In addition, permission was obtained from the Institutional Review Board.

Data collection and analysis

Demographic data collected to describe the sample included gender, age range, number of years holding a management position, supervisory responsibility, and highest degree obtained. (See Table 1 .)

Semistructured, in-depth interviews were the primary mode of data collection. The recorded interviews were conducted face-to-face and lasted about 60 minutes. Data collection continued until saturation was achieved. Data saturation occurred when no new descriptive codes, categories, or themes were emerging from the analyzed data. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and verified through a member check process.

During the data analysis process, themes and patterns were identified. Data from each participant's interview were examined to determine if the responses were aligned with the identified themes. Analysis of the data included coding at increasingly abstract levels and constant comparison. Qualitative software assisted in coding the information and uncovering subtle trends.

Four themes emerged from core categories developed during the qualitative data coding process.

Theme 1: Understanding/addressing LHV . In question one, participants were asked to describe their understanding of LHV. Five subthemes emerged from the data collected with this question. (See Table 2 .)

Theme 2: Experience addressing LHV . In the second question, participants were asked about their experience with addressing incidents of LHV. Six subthemes were identified. (See Table 3 .)

Theme 3: Role perception in addressing LHV . In the third question, participants were asked what they perceive their role to be in addressing LHV. Six subthemes resulted from this question. (See Table 4 .)

Theme 4: Organizational impediment to addressing LHV . In question four, participants were asked to describe the factors within the organization that influence or impede their role in addressing LHV. This question yielded nine subthemes. (See Table 5 .)

Substantive theory

As a result of the themes that emerged from the data, a substantive theory was developed. This is especially important for the nursing profession to develop as a scientifically based practice. Theories help guide research and provide the expansion, generation, and validation of the science of nursing knowledge. 26 The substantive theory will help nurse leaders become more cognizant of the role that effective leadership plays in preventing or intervening in incidents of LHV in the workplace. The analysis revealed that nurse leaders are aware that the quality of patient care and staff well-being can be adversely affected by the impact of LHV.

Data themes were used to formulate the following theory: Nurse leaders address LHV affecting their staff members by solving problems, creating a safe work environment, and reducing institutional barriers that impede addressing LHV in a timely fashion. Nurse leaders perceive their role as a problem-solver, which is a necessary step in advocacy. 27 Problem-solving is a process that contains the elements of decision-making and critical thinking. 28

The theory that emerged from the core categories explicitly focused on the central phenomenon of LHV in the nursing work environment. Figure 1 shows the interrelatedness of the themes to the resultant substantive theory.

Discussion and implications

The study results have several implications for both the nursing profession and nurse leaders. The nursing profession requires decisive and robust leadership, and the role of the nurse leader is to be a combination of nurturer, investigator, and judge to examine incidents of LHV. 26,29-32 Nurse leaders are responsible for setting the tone and expectations for a safe work environment. This includes modeling the expected ethical behaviors; for example, doing the right things for the right reasons, being collegial toward each other, and being respectful of other's differences. One participant remarked, “This is a different world based on how I was raised. I was raised to be respectful to people.”

In addition, nurse leaders are responsible for enforcing policies created to address disruptive behaviors and working with the administration as soon as an incident occurs. Past research indicates that a healthy and collaborative work environment fosters nurse engagement and patient safety. 25,30 Staff members and patients need a leader to protect them when necessary; thus, the nurse leader needs to “walk the walk” in providing a safe environment for all. Nurse leaders engaged in these kinds of behaviors are providing strong leadership and practicing strong decision-making, thus ensuring the continued robustness of their organizations.

Recommendations and limitations

Future research could replicate this study in a different geographic region to explore the causes of LHV by soliciting the views of nursing students, new graduate nurses, and nurse educators from unionized and nonunionized hospital systems and comparing the results to further understand this phenomenon. Additionally, developing a tool to test the substantive theory could substantiate the nurse leader's role as a problem-solver to address incidence of LHV in the workplace.

The decision to conduct this study in one type of healthcare organization limits the ability to compare the interviewed nurse leaders' experiences with nurse leaders in other healthcare organizations. The experiences of nurses in other healthcare organizations may be different; thus, overall generalizability of the study may be limited.

Say “no” to the status quo

The results of this study support the findings of previous researchers. 23,31,33,34 Accepting the status quo is unacceptable and can cause irreparable harm to organizational well-being if LHV isn't addressed. Collaboration between nurse leaders and administrators is essential to successfully reduce institutional obstacles that prevent the timely handling of LHV incidents. The role of the nurse leader as a problem-solver should be clear, defined, and well supported to seek resolutions to toxic behaviors that are hurting the work environment. But we must remember that creating a policy doesn't equal change. Every employee from the lowest level in the organization to the highest ranks of administration must model civil behaviors.

INSTRUCTIONS Nurse leaders as problem-solvers: Addressing lateral and horizontal violence

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5 Alarming Administrative Problems in Healthcare and How to Solve Them

Ted Jackson

Ted is a Founder and Managing Partner of ClearPoint Strategy and leads the sales and marketing teams.

Discover 5 healthcare industry challenges in 2024. From managing crises to enhancing data security, learn how experts are tackling these critical issues.

Table of Contents

As we emerge from the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry stands at a crucial crossroads. The past years have not only tested our resilience but have also brought to light a spectrum of administrative challenges that continue to shape our healthcare system today. From the intense pressures once faced by frontline workers to systemic issues that have long simmered beneath the surface, the pandemic has left an indelible mark, reshaping our approach to healthcare management.

Now, in this post-pandemic era, we seize the opportunity to transform challenges into catalysts for change. We reached out to l eading experts in the healthcare field to answer a critical question: What are some of the top problems related to healthcare and hospital management? (Because management performance is our domain.)

What you're about to read is a compilation of their responses, along with some insights we’ve gained after partnering with healthcare organizations over the years to improve their operations. In no way is this intended to be an article on how to solve healthcare problems, but rather a way to contribute more voices to the conversation to make things better.

1. Lack Of Real-time Situation Management

In an era where healthcare crises have evolved from rare occurrences to frequent challenges, the ability to manage situations in real-time has become indispensable. The past years, marked by public health emergencies like COVID-19, have underscored this reality more than ever. Terry Zysk, CEO of LiveProcess , highlights a crucial aspect of modern healthcare management: using real-time data analysis to understand how an event is unfolding, and reacting to it accordingly . This approach is critical in understanding and responding to unfolding events, ensuring that vital healthcare resources reach where they are needed most, precisely when they are needed.

The crux of the issue lies in the limitations of current healthcare management systems. Many hospitals cannot provide real-time metrics essential for swift and effective decision-making. Imagine the impact of knowing the availability of beds in a facility at any given moment or pinpointing the exact location of critical supplies during emergencies.

To bridge this gap, several software products have been built to help gather real-time metrics, including situation management-specific platforms like LiveProcess.

ClearPoint is another option that takes a more holistic view of situation management from a strategy perspective. This software has been used by many organizations to automatically track and report on healthcare metrics, including number of cases, response rates, quantity of resources, etc. You can use that data to respond appropriately to crises and make sure those decisions continue to support your overall strategy.

Wondering what metrics other healthcare organizations are tracking to improve performance? Download this free list of 108 healthcare KPIs to help get your facility on the right track.

2. ineffective internal communication.

Communication among and within healthcare institutions—and even with other external stakeholders—continues to be a challenge. The stakes are high: studies reveal that hospitals lose a staggering $12 billion annually due to poor communication, often due to aging technologies, silos between departments, and other issues. Poor internal communication has even been linked with the quality of patient care , highlighting an urgent need for a robust communication framework.

For hospitals, there is a need to communicate with both internal and external audiences about things like safety precautions, test availability, PPE supplies, etc. However, the challenge of internal communication transcends beyond crises. In the day-to-day rhythm of healthcare operations, the ability to seamlessly share information and data across departments is fundamental. It empowers teams, fosters collaboration, and propels strategic initiatives forward.

ClearPoint makes communication and knowledge-sharing simpler and more organized. It provides transparency around your organization’s direction and mission and encourages all employees to take ownership of projects, increasing employee engagement. It can also help you communicate with outside stakeholders using external dashboards that convey crucial information, similar to the one for a municipality shown below.

3. Lack Of System Interoperability

Another major challenge identified by several healthcare providers is the lack of interoperability across health technology systems. Susan G. Bornstein , MD, MPH points out that, without a national healthcare database in place, “medical providers in one office or healthcare system are precluded from seeing a patient's information in another system to the detriment of the patient. For example, a patient may forget some of their medication allergies, what tests they had performed, exactly what surgery was done when, who they saw for what—all of which is critical information for rendering the current episode of care.”

Echoing this sentiment, Kristy Dalechek of Haven Healthcare Advocates agrees that interoperability issues make it harder to identify patients’ medical problems and their solutions . “Electronic health records were supposed to be the answer, but our healthcare system is even more fragmented now. Even if all of your doctors and specialists are in the same network and use the same EHR, they may not have your entire health record and history.”

This lack of system interoperability is a barrier to elevating healthcare quality and efficiency. It's a puzzle that, if solved, could streamline care delivery and reduce costs significantly. Forward-thinking solutions are on the horizon, with emerging technologies like machine learning and blockchain offering glimmers of hope, though their practical applications have yet to be determined.

The journey to achieving true interoperability in healthcare is complex, but the vision is clear: a future where every piece of medical information is just a click away, ensuring that every patient receives the most informed and holistic care possible.

4. Information Overload

Picture this: hospital workers, administrators, and clinicians drowning in an ocean of test results, patient records, and administrative data. The scenario is all too common – sifting through hundreds of pages, analyzing tens of thousands of data points, all in the quest for that crucial piece of information. This is the reality of information overload in healthcare , a challenge as critical as any medical condition.

Whether that information is generated by medical devices or lab tests, or used for patient care or administrative purposes, data overload is undeniably a problem across all types of healthcare organizations. The key to unlocking the power of this data lies in technology – smart, intuitive, and efficient.

Healthcare organizations should look for advanced solutions that support:

• Easy Information Gathering —Look for software that automatically imports data from multiple sources and departments and brings it together in one place. The fewer tools you need to interact with, the better.
• Real-Time Data Updates —When someone in another department or division updates a data point, all users should be able to see the change happen in real time. That way, everyone’s working with the same information.
• Clear Data Visualization —Visualizing data makes it easier to consume, so look for a tool that has a variety of chart and graph options.
• Simple Reporting —The days of manual, time-consuming reporting are over. The future belongs to software solutions that automate report generation and distribution, saving precious time and resources.

If you’re looking for a solution that makes sense of your organization’s data about performance improvement, check out ClearPoint. If you need a tech solution to address other data challenges—like managing patient information, for example—you might be better off searching for software that addresses those technology issues in healthcare more specifically.

5. Data Security

Another challenge mentioned by multiple respondents was data security. A startling statistic brings this into sharp focus: from 2009 to 2020, an astonishing 70% of the U.S. population was impacted by healthcare data breaches—a trend that isn’t likely to go away.

Compared to other industries, the healthcare industry is relatively unprepared for cyber attack s. Raymond Dacillo, Director of Operations at C-Care Health Services , paints a concerning picture: “due to limited funding and budgetary constraints, many healthcare providers have become increasingly easy targets for attackers, who exploit their vulnerabilities.”

The rapid adoption of digital health initiatives, such as telehealth services, has inadvertently widened the attack surface, making data breaches more frequent and severe. As more healthcare functions continue to move online, it’s essential to ensure these processes are protected.

Dacillo believes the healthcare industry needs government funding to strengthen its IT resources. However, there's also an immediate need for healthcare organizations to take proactive steps. Key measures include:

• Educating Healthcare Staff : Empowering healthcare professionals with knowledge and best practices in data security is the first line of defense against breaches.
• Restricting Data Access : Implementing stringent access controls ensures that sensitive data is only available to authorized personnel.
• Implementing Data Usage Controls : Monitoring and regulating how data is used within the organization can significantly reduce the risk of internal breaches.

These practices are essential strategies in safeguarding the lifeblood of healthcare – patient data. You can read about some essential data security practices here.

How Strategy Management Software Can Help Revolutionize Hospital Operations

From real-time situation management to data security, the hurdles faced by healthcare organizations are multifaceted. However, the solution may lie in a powerful ally: strategy management software . Among the leaders in this technology is ClearPoint Strategy, a tool designed to empower healthcare organizations to navigate and thrive amidst these complexities.

ClearPoint Strategy also enhances hospital performance in several key areas:

• Hospital Star Ratings: ClearPoint Strategy helps improve ratings by aligning hospital operations with key performance areas like patient care and satisfaction.
• Revenue Cycle Management: The software streamlines billing and administrative processes, enhancing financial health through efficient revenue management.
• Value-Based Pricing: It aids in implementing value-based pricing by analyzing patient outcomes and aligning pricing strategies with care quality.
• Quality Improvement: ClearPoint Strategy supports systematic quality improvement by facilitating data-driven decision-making and tracking performance improvements.
• HEDIS Measures: The tool assists in tracking and improving healthcare quality and effectiveness, aligning hospital performance with HEDIS standards.

Read our blog on 5 Strategy Management Software Use Cases in Healthcare for a comprehensive exploration of how healthcare project management software, particularly ClearPoint Strategy, can revolutionize hospital operations and patient care.

Optimize Your Healthcare Operations in 2024: Book a ClearPoint Demo Now!

Certainly, the healthcare landscape is riddled with more challenges than we've explored today. But every problem presents an opportunity for a solution. If your organization is grappling with issues in strategic planning, reporting, or project management, we're here to assist. Book a demo and connect with us for a tailored approach that not only addresses your specific healthcare challenges but also propels you toward achieving and surpassing your goals.

Let's collaborate to turn these challenges into milestones of success for your organization!

What are the biggest challenges facing healthcare today?

The biggest challenges facing healthcare today include:

- Rising Costs: The increasing cost of healthcare services and medications. - Access to Care: Inequities in access to healthcare services, especially in rural and underserved areas. - Chronic Diseases: The growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. - Aging Population: The impact of an aging population on healthcare resources and services. - Workforce Shortages: Shortages of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and specialists. - Technology Integration: Challenges in integrating new technologies and electronic health records (EHR) into existing systems.

What are some of the most promising new technologies that could help to solve these challenges?

Promising new technologies that could help solve healthcare challenges include:

- Telemedicine: Increases access to care by allowing remote consultations and treatments. - Artificial Intelligence (AI): Enhances diagnostics, treatment plans, and patient monitoring through advanced data analysis. - Wearable Devices: Provides real-time health monitoring and data collection for better disease management. - Blockchain: Secures patient data and improves the integrity and accessibility of health records. - Personalized Medicine: Tailors treatments to individual genetic profiles, improving efficacy and reducing side effects. - Robotic Surgery: Offers precision in surgeries, reducing recovery times and improving outcomes.

What are the ethical implications of using these technologies in healthcare?

The ethical implications of using new technologies in healthcare include:

- Privacy and Security: Ensuring the protection of patient data and preventing unauthorized access. - Equity: Addressing disparities in access to advanced technologies across different populations. - Informed Consent: Ensuring patients are fully informed about how technologies will be used in their care. - Bias in AI: Preventing biases in AI algorithms that could lead to unequal treatment outcomes. - Job Displacement: Considering the impact of automation and technology on healthcare employment.

How can we ensure that everyone has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare?

To ensure everyone has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare:

- Expand Coverage: Implement policies to expand healthcare coverage to all citizens, such as universal healthcare or Medicaid expansion. - Reduce Costs: Promote cost-saving measures, including preventive care, price transparency, and competition among providers. - Increase Funding: Allocate more funding to public health services and infrastructure. - Leverage Technology: Use technology to streamline operations and reduce costs, making healthcare more accessible. - Address Social Determinants: Tackle social determinants of health such as education, housing, and income to improve overall health outcomes.

What is the future of healthcare?

The future of healthcare is likely to be characterized by:

- Personalized Medicine: Treatments tailored to individual genetic profiles and lifestyles. - Integrated Care: Coordinated care across different healthcare providers and services to improve patient outcomes. - Advanced Technologies: Greater use of AI, robotics, telemedicine, and other advanced technologies in diagnosis, treatment, and patient management. - Preventive Care: Increased focus on prevention and wellness to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases. - Global Collaboration: Enhanced global collaboration and information sharing to address health crises and improve healthcare delivery worldwide.

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Why Problem-Solving Skills Are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry

• 17 Jan 2023

Any organization offering a product or service is in the business of solving problems.

Whether providing medical care to address health issues or quick convenience to those hungry for dinner, a business’s purpose is to satisfy customer needs .

In addition to solving customers’ problems, you’ll undoubtedly encounter challenges within your organization as it evolves to meet customer needs. You’re likely to experience growing pains in the form of missed targets, unattained goals, and team disagreements.

Yet, the ubiquity of problems doesn’t have to be discouraging; with the right frameworks and tools, you can build the skills to solve consumers' and your organization’s most challenging issues.

Here’s a primer on problem-solving in business, why it’s important, the skills you need, and how to build them.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Problem-Solving in Business?

Problem-solving is the process of systematically removing barriers that prevent you or others from reaching goals.

Your business removes obstacles in customers’ lives through its products or services, just as you can remove obstacles that keep your team from achieving business goals.

Design Thinking

Design thinking , as described by Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar in the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , is a human-centered , solutions-based approach to problem-solving and innovation. Originally created for product design, design thinking’s use case has evolved . It’s now used to solve internal business problems, too.

The design thinking process has four stages :

• Clarify: Clarify a problem through research and feedback from those impacted.
• Ideate: Armed with new insights, generate as many solutions as possible.
• Develop: Combine and cull your ideas into a short list of viable, feasible, and desirable options before building prototypes (if making physical products) and creating a plan of action (if solving an intangible problem).
• Implement: Execute the strongest idea, ensuring clear communication with all stakeholders about its potential value and deliberate reasoning.

Using this framework, you can generate innovative ideas that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise.

Creative Problem-Solving

Another, less structured approach to challenges is creative problem-solving , which employs a series of exercises to explore open-ended solutions and develop new perspectives. This is especially useful when a problem’s root cause has yet to be defined.

You can use creative problem-solving tools in design thinking’s “ideate” stage, which include:

• Brainstorming: Instruct everyone to develop as many ideas as possible in an allotted time frame without passing judgment.
• Divergent thinking exercises: Rather than arriving at the same conclusion (convergent thinking), instruct everyone to come up with a unique idea for a given prompt (divergent thinking). This type of exercise helps avoid the tendency to agree with others’ ideas without considering alternatives.
• Alternate worlds: Ask your team to consider how various personas would manage the problem. For instance, how would a pilot approach it? What about a young child? What about a seasoned engineer?

It can be tempting to fall back on how problems have been solved before, especially if they worked well. However, if you’re striving for innovation, relying on existing systems can stunt your company’s growth.

Related: How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips

Why Is Problem-Solving Important for Leaders?

While obstacles’ specifics vary between industries, strong problem-solving skills are crucial for leaders in any field.

Whether building a new product or dealing with internal issues, you’re bound to come up against challenges. Having frameworks and tools at your disposal when they arise can turn issues into opportunities.

As a leader, it’s rarely your responsibility to solve a problem single-handedly, so it’s crucial to know how to empower employees to work together to find the best solution.

Your job is to guide them through each step of the framework and set the parameters and prompts within which they can be creative. Then, you can develop a list of ideas together, test the best ones, and implement the chosen solution.

Related: 5 Design Thinking Skills for Business Professionals

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need

1. problem framing.

One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you’re trying to solve.

“Before you begin to generate solutions for your problem, you must always think hard about how you’re going to frame that problem,” Datar says in the course.

For instance, imagine you work for a company that sells children’s sneakers, and sales have plummeted. When framing the problem, consider:

• What is the children’s sneaker market like right now?
• Should we improve the quality of our sneakers?
• Should we assess all children’s footwear?
• Is this a marketing issue for children’s sneakers specifically?
• Is this a bigger issue that impacts how we should market or produce all footwear?

While there’s no one right way to frame a problem, how you do can impact the solutions you generate. It’s imperative to accurately frame problems to align with organizational priorities and ensure your team generates useful ideas for your firm.

To solve a problem, you need to empathize with those impacted by it. Empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotions and experiences. While many believe empathy is a fixed trait, it’s a skill you can strengthen through practice.

When confronted with a problem, consider whom it impacts. Returning to the children’s sneaker example, think of who’s affected:

• Your organization’s employees, because sales are down
• The customers who typically buy your sneakers
• The children who typically wear your sneakers

Empathy is required to get to the problem’s root and consider each group’s perspective. Assuming someone’s perspective often isn’t accurate, so the best way to get that information is by collecting user feedback.

For instance, if you asked customers who typically buy your children’s sneakers why they’ve stopped, they could say, “A new brand of children’s sneakers came onto the market that have soles with more traction. I want my child to be as safe as possible, so I bought those instead.”

When someone shares their feelings and experiences, you have an opportunity to empathize with them. This can yield solutions to their problem that directly address its root and shows you care. In this case, you may design a new line of children’s sneakers with extremely grippy soles for added safety, knowing that’s what your customers care most about.

Related: 3 Effective Methods for Assessing Customer Needs

3. Breaking Cognitive Fixedness

Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind in which you examine situations through the lens of past experiences. This locks you into one mindset rather than allowing you to consider alternative possibilities.

For instance, your cognitive fixedness may make you think rubber is the only material for sneaker treads. What else could you use? Is there a grippier alternative you haven’t considered?

Problem-solving is all about overcoming cognitive fixedness. You not only need to foster this skill in yourself but among your team.

4. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

As a leader, it’s your job to create an environment conducive to problem-solving. In a psychologically safe environment, all team members feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table, which are likely influenced by their personal opinions and experiences.

If employees are penalized for “bad” ideas or chastised for questioning long-held procedures and systems, innovation has no place to take root.

By employing the design thinking framework and creative problem-solving exercises, you can foster a setting in which your team feels comfortable sharing ideas and new, innovative solutions can grow.

How to Build Problem-Solving Skills

The most obvious answer to how to build your problem-solving skills is perhaps the most intimidating: You must practice.

Again and again, you’ll encounter challenges, use creative problem-solving tools and design thinking frameworks, and assess results to learn what to do differently next time.

While most of your practice will occur within your organization, you can learn in a lower-stakes setting by taking an online course, such as Design Thinking and Innovation . Datar guides you through each tool and framework, presenting real-world business examples to help you envision how you would approach the same types of problems in your organization.

Are you interested in uncovering innovative solutions for your organization’s business problems? Explore Design Thinking and Innovation —one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses —to learn how to leverage proven frameworks and tools to solve challenges. Not sure which course is right for you? Download our free flowchart .

About the Author

Working together, we can reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives.

Study Start Up Senior Lead

About the role, major accountabilities:.

• Responsible for all Study Start-Up (SSU) activities for medium to highly complex high priority studies.
• Full responsibility to independently deliver SSU insights to the development of the trial Operational Execution Plan (OEP) and aligns the SSU plan and strategy accordingly as reflected in SSU systems, milestones and dashboards with Study Leader /Clinical Trial Team (CTT).
• Configures and ensures proper trial-specific set-up of SSU systems (e.g., Expected Document Lists, eTMF, milestones, tasks, personnel, vendors, languages/translations, confirmed and back-up countries, CTMS (Clinical Trial Management System), enrollment plan, vendor management tool, site contracting and budgeting tool, ICF template tool, etc.)
• Autonomously strategizes global SSU planning and leads SSU Team (CTT sub-team) from kick-off through completion of SSU (all countries and 95% sites enrolling or as defined per trial

​Leads Global SSU Activation:

• Responsible for global trial level document readiness (including vendor and IMP (Investigational Medicinal Product) and collection into eTMF as necessary for country health authority and Ethics Committee submission and site activation
• Global accountability of timelines, accuracy, and quality of global TMF (Trial Master File) documents in study start-up to ensure TMF inspection readiness

Accountable for country SSU:

• Coaches the country Study Start-up Managers to drive timely start-up activities from country allocation to “Ready to Enroll” within assigned medium to complex trials
• Provides oversight and support to country Study Start-up Managers as needed to ensure that study start-up activities are conducted and completed to plan, including set-up and usage of tools/systems, timely delivery of SSU deliverables (e.g. IRB/IEC submission packages, Informed Consent review, local submission package for submission to IRB/IEC, CTA (Clinical Trial Application) Hub (Europe: acc. to new EU-CTR) as well as Health Authorities and adherence to process standards.
• Guides the VPM as needed to ensure global vendor activation and site readiness in collaboration with to meet site activation timelines/plan.
• Ensure global deliverables to enable site initiation readiness is in place for initial drug release

Experience/Professional requirements:

• A degree in scientific or health discipline required and an advanced degree with clinical trial experience and/or project management, is preferable
• Minimum 6 years' experience in project management, in clinical operations in a role that oversees (project management) and/or with monitoring clinical trials
• Minimum 3 years of contribution to and accomplishment in all aspects of conducting clinical trials (e.g., planning, executing, reporting and publishing) in a global/matrix environment in pharmaceutical industry or a contract research organization
• Fluent English, spoken and written

Leadership Capabilities

• Proven ability and strong experience in leading multidisciplinary teams in a complex matrix environment (including remote or virtual team environments)
• High learning agility championing new technology platforms
• Strong problem solving, negotiation, deadline driven and conflict resolution skills

Why Novartis?

Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. how can we achieve this with our people. it is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. be a part of this mission and join us learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture  , you’ll receive: you can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the novartis life handbook. https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards, commitment to diversity and inclusion:, novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients and communities we serve., join our novartis network:, if this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about novartis and our career opportunities, join the novartis network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network.

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

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Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients and communities we serve.