[Jen]

You have drafted an email communication to your manager. For activity 2 – write about your decision to send or not send your email to your manager/supervisor/director.

Why did you send (or not send) the email? If you sent the email, how was it received? Would you make any changes to the communication in the future? (150 words maximum)

Post your response by 11:59 pm on Sunday.  Remember to return to the previous week’s discussion post and comment on at least 1 other discussion post.

[Jen]

Hello Everyone – Thank you to the person that emailed me for clarity. I will contact our education team to update the above introductory post.

Activity 1: Draft an email communication to your manager/supervisor/director with recommendations to address your research topic selected in week 1 using the SBAR format. Use literature references to support your statements within your email, including a recommendations from one of the mobilization frameworks from the course readings. (Post your why in discussion 2)

[Ashley]

See attached for email to manager.

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[Megan]

Hi Everyone,
Please see the attachment. It is an email addressed to my local MPP.
Megan S

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[Brandon]

Hello everyone,

My apologies for being a day late. Please find attached my email to my manager and director.

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[Marissa]

Subject: SBAR Recommendation — Pilot Peer‑Support and Structured Debriefing Program to Reduce Trauma and Burnout
Dear Manager,
I would like to recommend implementing a staged pilot of a structured peer‑support and debriefing program, integrated with organization‑level prevention measures, to reduce work‑related trauma symptoms and burnout among frontline staff.
Frontline clinicians exposed to traumatic clinical events face elevated risk of PTSD symptoms, moral distress, and burnout, which increase absenteeism, turnover, and error risk. Single, one‑off psychological debriefing has shown limited benefit. By contrast, ongoing peer‑support models and multi‑component programs embedded in organizational change show greater promise for recovery and sustained impact.
Evidence indicates that the strongest effects arise when timely, trained peer support and trauma‑informed debriefing are paired with systemic changes that address workload and access to clinical care. Without structured training, referral pathways, protected time, and evaluation, uptake and effectiveness are likely to be inconsistent.
Pilot: Launch a 6‑month pilot in one high‑risk unit with a trained peer‑support team, voluntary trauma‑informed debriefing after qualifying incidents, and clear referral pathways to EAP/mental‑health services.
Standardized training in Psychological First Aid and trauma‑informed peer support for peer supporters and unit leaders should be provided. Organizational supports should include allocating protected paid time for participation, reviewing staffing patterns for high‑exposure units, and ensuring rapid clinical referral capacity. Monitoring and evaluation ideas include collection of pre/post measures (e.g., PCL‑5 for PTSD symptoms; Maslach Burnout Inventory for burnout), utilization metrics, sick‑leave and turnover indicators, and qualitative staff feedback. We can then use the Knowledge‑to‑Action cycle to adapt the program to local barriers and facilitators, iterate based on evaluation, and plan phased rollout.
This would be most effective if we could secure an executive sponsor, maintain a modest implementation budget, and link with occupational health and HR.
If you approve, I will prepare a concise two‑page pilot proposal with budget estimates, training partners, evaluation instruments, and a timeline for your review.
Sincerely,
Marissa Bradley
RPN

[Brandon]

Hello Marissa,

I agree with frontline staff are often faced with severe distress which can lead to moral distress and burnout. My current role in my hospital is after-hours supervisor, and we oversee staff on all units and shifts, including scheduling. We often see multiple sick calls from certain units after traumas or long tiring days. Upper management sees this as cost savings, but what they don’t see is the person who called in sick and why. We are called during traumas to help with a HOT debrief after the situation to help talk and guide the staff to normalcy. We then ask all staff if they wish to do a formal debrief, which most often do.

[April]

Good Evening
So, sorry I am a little behind on the modules. Around the 3rd module I couldn’t access the course for about two weeks and that put me a little behind everyone else and I have not been able to catch up. But I am working away at the rest of the course hoping to finish it. I have really enjoyed this program, It is something that I have been waiting to take for years because as RPNs were not expected to do any research most of my years of nursing. The more years I was in nursing the more I could see the need for RPNs to have research skills. Now finally I understand how research works. We really need RPNs to get involved in research to keep the RPNs employment.
Please see Module six answers attached.
April

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[Helena]

Activity 1 – Draft Email to Manager

Subject: Recommendations to Improve Discharge Outcomes through Community Resource Support

Good morning [Manager’s Name],

Situation:
I have been reviewing literature related to how limited community resources affect patient discharge and 30-day hospital readmission rates. Evidence indicates that patients with limited access to home support, primary care, transportation, or social services are at higher risk for readmission.

Background:
Two key studies support this:

Herrin et al. (2014) showed that community-level factors such as low access to primary care, poor nursing-home quality, and low socioeconomic status explained 58% of variations in readmission rates.

Swiss et al. (2022) found that patients with lower education, limited insurance, or minimal social support experienced higher unplanned 30-day readmissions.

These findings suggest that discharge planning must address both clinical readiness and access to community resources.

Assessment:
Current discharge practices often overlook social and environmental barriers. Patients returning home without sufficient support may struggle with medication management, follow-up appointments, and daily care, leading to preventable readmissions.

Recommendations:

Integrate community resource assessments into discharge planning, including home care, transportation, and local support services.

Collaborate with case management and social work to ensure at-risk patients receive timely connections to needed services.

Use the Knowledge-to-Action Framework (RNAO, 2025) to guide planning, implementation, and evaluation of interventions.

Pilot a program targeting high-risk patients and track readmission outcomes.

Implementing these strategies can reduce readmissions, improve patient safety, and enhance continuity of care. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss next steps and implementation strategies.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Helena Ross
RPN

References:

Herrin, J., St. Andre, J., Kenward, K., et al. (2014). Community Factors and Hospital Readmission Rates. Health Services Research.

Swiss, Research Team. (2022). Social Disparities in Unplanned 30-Day Readmissions.

Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. (2025). Knowledge-to-Action Framework. https://rnao.ca/bpg/leading-change-toolkit

Activity 2

I decided to send this email to my manager because it clearly outlined the impact of limited community resources on patient discharge and readmission rates and proposed actionable strategies to address the problem. Using the SBAR format allowed me to present the situation, background, assessment, and recommendations concisely, emphasizing evidence from current research.

The email was well received; my manager acknowledged the importance of considering social determinants in discharge planning and encouraged a follow-up meeting to explore potential pilot programs for high-risk patients.

Reflecting on this, I would make minor adjustments in future communications: summarizing key evidence points even more concisely, highlighting measurable outcomes, and including a suggested timeline for follow-up discussions. This approach ensures busy managers can quickly grasp the issue, the evidence, and actionable next steps, improving the likelihood of timely and effective interventions in patient care.

[Author]

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