Nowadays a priority of clinics and hospitals is to improve the quality of health services provided for patients. Therefore, there is something needs to be changed in health care service, particularly at the nursing level.
In order to create an appropriate workplace changes plan according to the given scenario, it seems rather useful to utilize Kurt Lewin’s change model. Mitchell (2013) calls him “the pioneer” who addressed how and why changes occur (p. 32). He suggested that any change or innovation could usefully be explained in terms of three stages: unfreezing, changing or moving, and refreezing (Huber, 2014). However, when deciding to implement the obtained knowledge into practice, one could not do it without an analysis of so-called Force Field Analysis also created by Lewin – the methodology used to understand what you need to implement changes. The above analysis directly connected with the first stage of unfreezing. It is the preparatory step when nurses should be provided with sufficient support and guarantees (for example, necessary equipment or pay rise) to decide to take part in the enterprise of change. Employee’s motivation is a key to both challenges and achievements of the organization. In a sense, the development of motivation leads to higher productivity activities. Nevertheless, some people are always against changes. One of the most effective ways to overcome resistance to change is to explain to staff nature and reasons for the changes. Exchange of ideas is helpful, too. The process of clarification can take the form of one-to-one interviews, briefings, or sending memoranda and reports. In addition, if initiators attract potential opponents to the planning and implementation of the changes, thus they could anticipate resistance in a timely manner.
The second stage of moving assumes the change process. In my opinion, the following way of change seems significant: “incomplete and illegible documentation are important issues that interfere with a nurse’s ability to access and accurately interpret clinical findings in paper charts,” states Payne (2013, para.7). Electronic documentation might resolve the question of a gap between nurses and OR in this case. Moreover, Manchester et al. (2014) claim that often the need to develop educational content or provide clinical reminders appear to guarantee practice reliability. Some studies show that the majority of nurses is based on those knowledge and skills that they have received in educational institutions, and rarely seeks the information published in specialized magazines, books, and scholar journals while a new information might promote to the better interaction between staff members, particularly nurses and other departments.
The third stage of Lewin’s theory states that the change should be reinforced. According to Cassano (2014), “positive attitude related to the improved quality of electronic documentation and a new appreciation of the decreased workload afforded when using a well-designed system” (para. 10). The role models and permission to make their decisions will help the accomplishment of change. Nurses should have a clear picture of desired change and the benefits that these changes will bring. Like a doctor who first establishes symptoms, diagnoses, then selects a course of treatment, and finally proceeds to the treatment, it is necessary to monitor the process of change and to take corrective actions timely.
In conclusion, it should be stressed that the application of the principles of Lewin’s theory at the nursing level allows understanding of how they should cope with changes.
References
Cassano, C. (2014). The Right Balance – Technology and Patient Care.Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 18(3). Web.
Huber, D. (2014). Leadership and nursing care management (5th ed.). Maryland Heights, Mo.: Saunders.
Manchester, J., Gray-Miceli, D., Metcalf, J., Paolini, C., Napier, A., Coogle, C., & Owens, M. (2014). Facilitating Lewin’s change model with collaborative evaluation in promoting evidence based practices of health professionals. Evaluation and Program Planning, 47(1), 82-90.
Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change. Nursing Management, 20(1), 32-37.
Payne, S. (2013). The Implementation of Electronic Clinical Documentation Using Lewin’s Change Management Theory. Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, 8(1). Web.