Scheduling Issues in Healthcare

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title (as applicable):

  Health Science

  Course Title:

  Health Science Foundations

  Course Number:

  8417110

  Career Cluster:

  Health Science

  CIP Number:

  N/A

  Course Type:

  Health Science Core

  CTE Standard(s) and Benchmark(s):

  Focus:

  17.05 Identify the general roles and responsibilities of the individual members of the healthcare team.

  Supporting:

  19.04 Explain the importance of healthcare facility policy and procedures for employees.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “A Busy Day in X-Ray.” See CPALMS resource ID#207928.

• Career Connection

  
  

  The lesson supports the career building skills of human resources aspect of business with the staffing issues. Students can examine workflow and time management which are essential skills to have when working in healthcare.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Identify how a radiographer’s role can be impacted by healthcare team staffing/scheduling issues.
  • Explain how a weekly schedule for four employees in a department affects patient care and make suggestions for improvement.
  • Explain the importance of properly identifying patients and following security protocols.
  • Create a new staff schedule based on research on different employee types.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with:

  • General role/responsibility of a healthcare team members.
  • Online research.
  • Partner collaboration.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • How are the daily responsibilities of an individual affected by healthcare team staffing issues?
  • How can staffing issues affect patient care?

• Procedure

  
  

  1. To introduce the lesson, have students complete a quick write in their journals (notebooks) for the question below.

  • What are some issues that can arise when a company has scheduling issues? Consider the perspectives of employees and customers/patients.
  • Students can share out their answers (See the Teacher Notes for possible suggestions).

  2. Refer to the case study, “A Busy Day in X-Ray,” (See CPALMS Resource ID#207928). Display the discussion questions below as students read the case study. Have students read the case study and discuss the questions with a partner.

  • How might the staffing issues be affecting Dana’s job performance?
  • What are 3 issues that arose in Dana’s job performance?
  • Is Dana setting a good example as the Radiology Supervisor? Explain.

  3. Distribute the Radiology Department Weekly Staff Schedule provided with the case study (See CPALMS Resource ID#207928) and the Schedule Observations handout (see attachments). Students will examine the schedule and discuss the question, how well does the given schedule support the needs of the Radiology Department?

  • Students will list any observations made about the schedule (See page 1 of Schedule Observations handout. Prompt student to make at least 3 observations (See the Teacher Notes for possible observations prompts).
    • Students will identify any issues Dana as the radiographer had completing her job based on the schedule.
  • As students finish their review, they will be prompted to make 3 suggestions to possibly improve the schedule.
    • Students should make suggestions to improve the scheduling issues they have identified.
    • Students will provide justifications for the suggestions that they have made.

  4. Have students research different types of employees in the healthcare setting (see page 2 of attached Schedule Observations handout) to create a new schedule based on this information.

  • Students will research staffing options such as full-time staff, part time staff, temporary staff, per diem staff, on call staff.

  5. To bring the lesson to a close, have students discuss the guiding questions with a partner. Ask volunteers to share their responses.

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Lesson opener can be shared whole class or via small group. Students should have general understandings of staffing issues such as even distribution of work, time management, impact on customer service and organization of tasks.
  • Students can make the following observations about the schedule: calculations for number of hours worked each week per employee, identify full time and part time employees, time off between shifts.

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment Ideas:

  • Student journal entries from Step 1 can be used to determine understanding of the effects of staffing shortages.
  • The Schedule Observations handout can be reviewed to assess students’ ability to problem solve and propose solutions.

  Extension Ideas:

  • Students can role play as Dana and her team to discuss how to prevent any future issues.
  • Students will research, “What is a tort?” Research can be conducted using course text or web resources.
    • Identify any of Dana’s actions that would be considered a tort or negligent.
    • Explain if the actions are intentional or unintentional and how they affect patient care.