Arlene Kessel           
                       RE: Discussion – Week 7-6211- Main Post                          
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Performance Reports/Dashboards
           Health care executives of an organization adopting a tried-and-true business practice to track key performance indicators (Bannon, 2005). The dashboard is very useful if properly executed and illustrated to provide financial and operational indicators, which managers incorporate clinical data information to measure performance against management’s strategic initiatives and profitability of the hospital’s service lines (p.16). 
           The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) was created in 1998 by the American Nurses Association (ANA) to gather information to improve the nursing process that influences the quality of nursing care (National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators, 2014).  This is one of several indicators in our facility to monitor the quality of nursing performance, nursing care that leads to patient and nursing staff satisfaction. NDNQI identifies areas that need to be improved to meet the organization’s vision and mission. Managers and executives utilize the outcome of NDNQI in decision making. One of the biggest factors that drive nursing staff to commit and engage in their workplace is to have job satisfaction that results in employee retention rates and increase healthy work environment (Brunges & Foley-Brinza, 2014). Initiatives that include meal breaks, self-scheduling, redesigning the orientation program for newly hired nurses, offering in-service training, and encouraging nurses to join in shared governance are few factors identified and opportunities for improvement. A supportive manager/leader understanding the balance between work and family life of the staff make them help decide to hire more nurses for the unit to meet the culture change.  
Conclusion
           Several indicators can be used by the managers to create a dashboard, but to decide and focus which data key an indicator is the most appropriate to established to be more effective to any type of dashboard (Bannon, 2005).  The art of creating dashboard must be clearly read and easily understood by any individual regardless of the educational level, thus, able to illustrate the overall performance of the organization and prompt solution of an issue (Laureate Education, 2012). 
References
Bannon, E. (2005). Clinical dashboard. H & N: Hospitals & Health Networks, 79(10), 16-18. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct+true&db=a9h&AN=18733824&site=eds-love&scope=site
Brunges, M., & Foley-Brinza, C. (2014). Projects for increasing job satisfaction and creating a healthy work environment. AORN Journal, 100(6), 670-681. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.a…
National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. (2014). National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. Retrieved from NDNQI:http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANA…