Purpose of the Change Proposal
The purpose of the change is to address staffing issues at Fairmount Assisted Living and Memory Care by integrating technology into the facility’s operations.
Analysis of the Need for Change
Fairmount Assisted Living and Memory Care facility is experiencing staffing issues due to a shortage of nurses and caregivers for elderly residents. The staff has expressed concerns about overwhelming workloads that lead to unsafe practices, such as sedating stubborn patients so they can have time to take care of other patients. The facility is also facing high staff turnover due to the overwhelming workload. Therefore, the facility needs proper scheduling, which can be achieved by integrating technology into staffing operations.
Cicirelli, G., Marani, R., Petitti, A., Milella, A., & D’Orazio, T. (2021). Ambient assisted living: A review of technologies, methodologies and future perspectives for Healthy Aging of Population. Sensors, 21(10), 3549. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21103549
The article discusses different technologies used in assisted living and elderly care facilities. It was used to get information on the role of technology in improving services in assisted living facilities.
Miller Kory Rowe LLP. (2019, April 30). Staffing shortage in Arizona could lead to an increase in neglect and bed sores in nursing homes. Miller Kory Rowe LLP. Retrieved November 11, 2022, from https://www.mkrfirm.com/blog/2019/april/staffing-shortage-in-arizona-could-lead-to-incre/
The article discusses the shortage of nurses and caregivers in Arizona. It was used to get information on the seriousness of the staffing issues in assisted living and elderly care facilities in Arizona.
Uhde, A., Laschke, M., & Hassenzahl, M. (2021). Design and appropriation of computer-supported self-scheduling practices in healthcare shift work. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CSCW1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1145/3449219
The article discusses the use of computer-based scheduling in organizing healthcare workers’ shifts. It was used to support arguments on the integration of technology in scheduling work at Fairmount Assisted Living and Memory Care facility.
Financial Estimate of Costs of the Proposed Change
Employee Scheduling Software is estimated to cost between $20 and $200 per month, smartwatches are estimated to cost between $17 and $30, and fitness trackers are estimated to cost between $200 and $600.
Potential Risks and Benefits of the Proposed Change
The potential benefits of the proposed change include boosting staff morale to improve the quality of care and reduce turnover and incidents of some staff having too much workload than colleagues and unavailability of staff to attend to the elderly in the facility. The main risk of the proposed change is data breaches, which could lead to residential claims against the facility if unauthorized persons access client data.
Scholarly Sources to Support My Perspective on This Issue
The scholarly sources used to support my perspective on the issue included journal articles discussing the benefits of integrating technology in elderly care and assisted living facilities and the role of technology in addressing staffing issues.
American Health Care Association. (2021). Survey: Nearly every U.S. nursing home and assisted living community is facing a workforce crisis. Press Releases. Retrieved November 11, 2022, from https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Press-Releases/Pages/Survey-Nearly-Every-U-S–Nursing-Home-And-Assisted-Living-Community-Is-Facing-A-Workforce-Crisis.aspx
Cicirelli, G., Marani, R., Petitti, A., Milella, A., & D’Orazio, T. (2021). Ambient assisted living: A review of technologies, methodologies and future perspectives for Healthy Aging of Population. Sensors, 21(10), 3549. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21103549