Running head: LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1 1
C493 LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1
Leadership and Professional Image
Task 1
Shannon Henry
June 8, 2019
Western Governors University
,LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1 2
A1: Problem or Issue
Nurse burnout is a significant problem in the healthcare industry today. Burnout has a
direct effect on nursing practice in the hospice setting. “Workplace stress is a hazard in the
United States healthcare system that costs us more than 150 billion dollars annually” (Johnson,
2017). Nurses suffer from compassion fatigue, burnout, moral distress, secondary trauma,
cumulative grief when dealing with end of life care such as hospice and palliative care (HPC) or
high-risk areas such as oncology, emergency departments (EDs) and intensive care units (ICUs).
The industry has begun to recognize that death and dying can lead to increased stress levels for
healthcare workers. These issues that nurses face can increase stress levels and in turn “lead to a
host of problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, disengagement, decreased job
satisfaction, organizational disloyalty and increased intention to leave the profession” (Frey,
2018). “A considerable body of research strongly suggests that workplace stress management
interventions are effective at reducing stress” (Hersch, 2016).
A1a: Explanation of Problem or Issue
Nurses make up the largest group of healthcare workers in the healthcare industry.
Currently, there are about 4 million nurses in the United States who provide care to millions of
patients on a daily basis. Burnout (emotional, physical and mental exhaustion) and secondary
traumatic stress (emotions and behaviors that are a result of caring for traumatized or distressed
persons) have been described by some as the “emotional cost of caring” (Frey, 2018). Nurses
who work in end of life or high risk areas such as HPC, EDs, ICUs or oncology are taking care
of sicker patients, who are living longer with multiple chronic illnesses. These nurses
continually face patients who are receiving futile treatments, or are being hospitalized and treated
for their illness which seems to be promoting suffering not quality of life for the patient, and
, LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1 3
patients who have not received appropriate education about their disease process and
progression. Often times, patients do not realize that they have a choice. They can say no to
treatments and therapies and choose to live out their life in the comforts of their home
surrounded by their loved ones. But historically, we, as a society have always done what the
doctor said and not questioned it. So what is happening because of this is we are losing nurses
every day. As the baby boomer nurses are beginning to reach retirement age, the percentages of
nurses who retire annually has increased from 9% to over 25% yet there are only about 155,000
nurses entering the field each year. To make numbers worse, the nursing profession continues to
suffer with turnover rates of over 15% and we are losing registered nurses who are working to
become advance practice registered nurses (Hersch, 2016). While these facts are startling, there
is hope. We are learning as an industry that education to promote resilience, mindfulness, and
stress reduction has a positive impact on nurses and the care they provide.
A2: Investigation
“We live in a death denying society and there is an expectation in this country that all
diseases should be treated aggressively, even if they cannot be cured” (ELNEC, 2018). There is
an estimated 90 million Americans living with serious and life-limiting illnesses (CAPC, 2013).
With increased technology, patients living longer and more chronic illnesses, nurses deal with
more than ever in the inception of the profession. It is estimated that one half of American adults
(117 million) are living with one or more chronic illnesses and one fourth have two or more
chronic diseases (ELNEC, 2018). People can live years with these debilitating diseases before
they die. Our nurses are the ones who are caring for them during this time. Seeing patients who
continually struggle with illnesses like hear failure, COPD, renal disease, cancer can take a toll
on nurses who do not have the proper tools to care for themselves. Stress within the healthcare
C493 LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1
Leadership and Professional Image
Task 1
Shannon Henry
June 8, 2019
Western Governors University
,LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1 2
A1: Problem or Issue
Nurse burnout is a significant problem in the healthcare industry today. Burnout has a
direct effect on nursing practice in the hospice setting. “Workplace stress is a hazard in the
United States healthcare system that costs us more than 150 billion dollars annually” (Johnson,
2017). Nurses suffer from compassion fatigue, burnout, moral distress, secondary trauma,
cumulative grief when dealing with end of life care such as hospice and palliative care (HPC) or
high-risk areas such as oncology, emergency departments (EDs) and intensive care units (ICUs).
The industry has begun to recognize that death and dying can lead to increased stress levels for
healthcare workers. These issues that nurses face can increase stress levels and in turn “lead to a
host of problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, disengagement, decreased job
satisfaction, organizational disloyalty and increased intention to leave the profession” (Frey,
2018). “A considerable body of research strongly suggests that workplace stress management
interventions are effective at reducing stress” (Hersch, 2016).
A1a: Explanation of Problem or Issue
Nurses make up the largest group of healthcare workers in the healthcare industry.
Currently, there are about 4 million nurses in the United States who provide care to millions of
patients on a daily basis. Burnout (emotional, physical and mental exhaustion) and secondary
traumatic stress (emotions and behaviors that are a result of caring for traumatized or distressed
persons) have been described by some as the “emotional cost of caring” (Frey, 2018). Nurses
who work in end of life or high risk areas such as HPC, EDs, ICUs or oncology are taking care
of sicker patients, who are living longer with multiple chronic illnesses. These nurses
continually face patients who are receiving futile treatments, or are being hospitalized and treated
for their illness which seems to be promoting suffering not quality of life for the patient, and
, LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TASK 1 3
patients who have not received appropriate education about their disease process and
progression. Often times, patients do not realize that they have a choice. They can say no to
treatments and therapies and choose to live out their life in the comforts of their home
surrounded by their loved ones. But historically, we, as a society have always done what the
doctor said and not questioned it. So what is happening because of this is we are losing nurses
every day. As the baby boomer nurses are beginning to reach retirement age, the percentages of
nurses who retire annually has increased from 9% to over 25% yet there are only about 155,000
nurses entering the field each year. To make numbers worse, the nursing profession continues to
suffer with turnover rates of over 15% and we are losing registered nurses who are working to
become advance practice registered nurses (Hersch, 2016). While these facts are startling, there
is hope. We are learning as an industry that education to promote resilience, mindfulness, and
stress reduction has a positive impact on nurses and the care they provide.
A2: Investigation
“We live in a death denying society and there is an expectation in this country that all
diseases should be treated aggressively, even if they cannot be cured” (ELNEC, 2018). There is
an estimated 90 million Americans living with serious and life-limiting illnesses (CAPC, 2013).
With increased technology, patients living longer and more chronic illnesses, nurses deal with
more than ever in the inception of the profession. It is estimated that one half of American adults
(117 million) are living with one or more chronic illnesses and one fourth have two or more
chronic diseases (ELNEC, 2018). People can live years with these debilitating diseases before
they die. Our nurses are the ones who are caring for them during this time. Seeing patients who
continually struggle with illnesses like hear failure, COPD, renal disease, cancer can take a toll
on nurses who do not have the proper tools to care for themselves. Stress within the healthcare
