| Course | HCM 700 Healthcare Administration Capstone |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | MS Healthcare Administration capstone discussion post on choosing a strategic issue |
| Length | About 340 words, 3 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Program | MS Healthcare Administration |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for HCM 700 Module 1
Module One Discussion
Every Shift Starts With Strangers
On my first morning as administrator in training at Willow Creek Care Center, a resident asked me who her aide would be that day. The honest answer was that nobody knew yet, because two of the scheduled aides had quit that week and the agency had not confirmed replacements. Our 120-bed nonprofit facility turned over about 94% of its nursing staff last year and spent $1.9 million on agency nurses and aides, roughly 21% of everything we paid for nursing labor. We also hold a two-star overall rating and lost money for the third straight year.
I considered three capstone issues: our short-stay rehospitalization rate of 25.8%, our deficiencies on the last inspection and our workforce. The research convinced me the workforce comes first. Gandhi et al. (2021) used federal payroll data and found that nursing staff turnover in U.S. nursing homes averaged about 128% a year, with wide variation, and that facilities with higher turnover tended to have lower quality ratings. Castle and Engberg (2005) found that higher turnover among aides and nurses was associated with worse performance on several quality measures. A third study, Castle (2009), found that about 60% of nursing homes used some agency staff and that quality was consistently better where agency use was lower.
Those findings describe our building. Aides who do not know residents miss early signs of infection or dehydration, which may help explain our rehospitalization rate. Inspectors cited us for care plans that were not followed, which is harder when half the staff on a unit are new. And agency pay rates, often more than double our own hourly wage, drive the losses that keep us from raising wages. Turnover is not one of our problems; it feeds most of them.
My capstone will diagnose why aides leave, what it costs us and what combination of retention strategies could reduce agency dependence while improving care. For classmates: how did you decide which of several problems to tackle? Did you pick the most visible one, or the one underneath?
References
Castle, N. G. (2009). Use of agency staff in nursing homes. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 2(3), 192-201. https://doi.org/10.3928/19404921-20090428-01
Castle, N. G., & Engberg, J. (2005). Staff turnover and quality of care in nursing homes. Medical Care, 43(6), 616-626. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.mlr.0000163661.67170.b9
Gandhi, A., Yu, H., & Grabowski, D. C. (2021). High nursing staff turnover in nursing homes offers important quality information. Health Affairs, 40(3), 384-391. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00957
What the HCM 700 Module 1 instructions ask for
The first HCM 700 discussion usually asks you to introduce the organizational issue your capstone will address and explain its strategic importance. Graduate posts here usually run near 400 words, cite a few recent journal articles in APA 7 and are followed by substantive replies to at least two peers. Describe the organization and the issue with specific data, explain why it matters for quality, finances and mission, and use research to show whether the issue is a root cause or a symptom. Close with a question that helps classmates test their own choices. HCM 700 graders notice clean headings in HCM 700 papers. HCM 700 names and dates need checking before HCM 700 submission. HCM 700 prompts vary by term, so recheck HCM 700 directions.
How this HCM 700 Module 1 discussion example is built
An administrator in training at a 120-bed nonprofit nursing home opens with a resident asking who her aide will be. The post reports 94% turnover, $1.9 million in agency spending and a two-star rating, then explains why the workforce was chosen over rehospitalizations and survey deficiencies. Gandhi and colleagues' payroll-based turnover findings, Castle and Engberg's link between turnover and quality and Castle's agency staffing study support the argument that turnover feeds the facility's other problems. The post states the capstone focus and asks peers how they chose. HCM 700 students can reuse this structure for HCM 700 work. HCM 700 claims here trace to cited HCM 700 sources. HCM 700 readers can adapt each section to HCM 700 data.
Where the HCM 700 Module 1 rubric puts the points
Opening capstone discussions in HCM 700 are generally assessed on the clarity and significance of the chosen issue, use of organizational data, integration of research, strategic reasoning and engagement with peers. Graduate-level posts that stand out compare competing issues, explain causal links between problems and report study findings precisely. Graders reward writers who show why the chosen issue is the right place to intervene rather than simply the most visible complaint. HCM 700 marks favor careful formatting across HCM 700 sections. HCM 700 citations keep every HCM 700 argument credible. HCM 700 instructors weigh evidence heavily in HCM 700 grading.
HCM 700 Module 1 help: the mistakes that cost points
Capstone introductions lose points when the issue is vague, when data are missing, when research is summarized without connection to the organization or when the writer picks a symptom rather than a cause. Another frequent gap is ignoring how the issue affects mission and residents or patients. Describe with data, compare options, use research to trace causes and state the capstone focus. If your program requires a particular organization type or capstone template, send it with your HCM 700 notes so the post fits. HCM 700 drafts start well from a HCM 700 outline. HCM 700 feedback already received guides HCM 700 revisions. HCM 700 rubrics posted in Brightspace clarify HCM 700 expectations.
Get HCM 700 Module 1 written to your instructions
Share the HCM 700 Module 1 prompt and the organizational issue you are weighing. The post will describe it with data, compare it with other candidate issues, use research to show why it is the right place to intervene and ask classmates a useful question, within 24 to 48 hours, free the first time. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.
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HCM 700 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free HCM 700 Module 1 Discussion sample?
The full HCM 700 Module 1 post is on this page, choosing nursing home turnover and agency staffing as a graduate capstone issue.
How do I choose an HCM 700 capstone issue?
Pick a problem with data available, clear effects on quality and finances and, ideally, links to other problems it helps cause.
How high is nursing home staff turnover?
Gandhi and colleagues found average annual nursing staff turnover of about 128%, with wide variation between facilities.
Does agency staffing affect nursing home quality?
Castle found quality was consistently better in facilities that used less agency staff.
What is a root cause versus a symptom?
A root cause, such as turnover, produces several visible problems, such as rehospitalizations and survey deficiencies.