Assignment: Application: Planned Change
in a Department or Unit
Health care organizations are continuously immersed in change from the emergence of new policies, to promote quality care and improve patient safety to keeping pace with the rapid growth in knowledge and best practices. Establishing a solid framework for planning and implementing change is a wise move, as it provides a foundation for the extensive coordination that will be needed to successfully facilitate the change.
For this Assignment, you propose a change at the department or unit level and develop a plan for guiding the change effort.
To prepare:
- Review Chapter 8 in the course text. Focus on Kurt Lewin’s change theory, and contrast it with other classic change models and strategies.
- Reflect on problems, inefficiencies, and critical issues within a specific department, unit, or area in your organization or one with which you are familiar. Select one issue as a focal point for this assignment, and consider a change that could be made to address the issue.
Think about how the change would align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values as well as relevant professional standards.
To complete:
Write a 3- to 5-page paper (page count does not include title and reference page) that addresses the following:
- Identify a problem, inefficiency, or issue within a specific department/unit.
- Describe a specific, realistic change that could be made to address the issue.
- Summarize how the change would align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values as well as relevant professional standards.
- Identify a change model or strategy to guide your planning for implementing the change. Provide a rationale for your selection.
- Outline the steps that you and/or others would follow to facilitate the change. Align these steps to your selected change model or strategy.
- Explain who would be involved in initiating and managing this change. Describe the skills and characteristics that would be necessary to facilitate the change effort.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, I understand the importance of effectively implementing change in healthcare organizations. In this assignment, students will focus on proposing a change at the department or unit level and developing a plan for guiding the change effort. They will use change models and strategies discussed in Chapter 8 to align their change efforts with the organization’s mission, values, and professional standards. They will also outline steps to facilitate the change and identify the necessary skills and characteristics for those involved in initiating and managing it.
1. Identify a problem or issue within a specific department/unit.
The problem I have identified within the emergency department is the lack of communication between nurses, physicians, and other healthcare providers. This communication breakdown leads to delays in patient care, misdiagnosis, and decreased patient satisfaction.
2. Describe a specific, realistic change that could be made to address the issue.
The change that could be made is to implement a standardized communication tool. The communication tool would enable healthcare providers to document and communicate patient information, treatment plans, and progress. The tool would also provide real-time updates to healthcare providers, reducing the risk of miscommunication.
3. Summarize how the change would align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values as well as relevant professional standards.
The change aligns with the organization’s mission, vision, and values by promoting patient safety, quality care, and improved patient outcomes. It also aligns with professional standards, such as those set by the Joint Commission, which require effective communication among healthcare providers.
4. Identify a change model or strategy to guide your planning for implementing the change. Provide a rationale for your selection.
The change model I will use is Lewin’s Change Model. This model consists of three stages: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. The unfreezing stage involves creating awareness and acknowledging the need for change. The changing stage involves implementing the change, and the refreezing stage involves stabilizing the change and making it permanent. I chose this model because it aligns with the specific change I am proposing, and it emphasizes the importance of awareness and stabilization.
5. Outline the steps that you and/or others would follow to facilitate the change. Align these steps to your selected change model or strategy.
The steps for implementing the change are as follows:
– Unfreezing: Convene a meeting of healthcare providers to discuss the communication breakdown and the proposed change. Use data and examples to illustrate the need for change.
– Changing: Develop and implement the standardized communication tool. Provide training and support to healthcare providers on how to use the tool effectively.
– Refreezing: Evaluate the effectiveness of the tool and make adjustments as necessary. Incorporate the tool into the emergency department’s policies and procedures.
6. Explain who would be involved in initiating and managing this change. Describe the skills and characteristics that would be necessary to facilitate the change effort.
The emergency department’s nurse manager would be responsible for initiating and managing this change. They would need skills such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving. They would also need to be adaptable and flexible in responding to challenges that arise during the change effort. Additionally, other healthcare providers, such as physicians and nurse practitioners, would need to be involved in implementing the change, and they would need to have a willingness to learn and adapt to the new tool.
Conclusion:
Overall, healthcare organizations need to continuously assess and implement changes to improve patient care and outcomes. Through the proposed change and implementation plan outlined in this assignment, healthcare providers in the emergency department can improve communication and provide better care for their patients. By using Lewin’s Change Model, providers can implement the change effectively and align it with the organization’s mission, values, and professional standards.
