Quality and Safety in Nursing Department

Running head: NURSING DEPARTMENT 1 Quality and Safety in Nursing Department Student Name Institution Instructor Date NURSING DEPARTMENT 2 Improvement of Quality and Safety in Nursing Department Introduction Improving the quality and safety of the patients is increasingly becoming of strategic importance in my healthcare organization. This is because the healthcare suffers from quality and safety shortcomings, which hinders the growth. The simple increase in quality improvement activities has not necessarily worked to improve the patient’s outcomes. From a force field model of change, there is a need to identify forces that will support the proposed change and then motivate the nurses to embrace the change (Udod & Wagner, 2018). This is based on the need to identify new areas that require strengthening to bring the much-needed change. Under this model, the change will happen if the driving force overruns the restraining forces. Clear documentation of the significant weaknesses in the healthcare organization is essential in laying out a clear vision of the organization that delivers quality and safe patient-centered healthcare. Improving the quality and safety of the healthcare has become a highly public and private enterprise as the stakeholders focuses on setting standards and demanding their achievements. Therefore, it is essential to look at the staffing issue as the nurses are actively involved in improving quality and safety in the healthcare organization. Action Plan Action Outlining the change Communicating about the change to the nurses and other staffs Nurses and staffs training Implementation of the change Change Evaluation Importance Going through the identified change to make sure that it meets the need To ensure that all the staffs in the health care organization are aware that a certain change is about to take place To educating the nurses and the other staffs the importance of the proposed change Putting the change into action for better results To determine the effectiveness of the change implemented NURSING DEPARTMENT 3 Steps Necessary to Ensure Staff Compliance The nurses and other healthcare professionals influence the quality of care and safety of patients in the healthcare organizations. Quality and Safety in Nursing Department

This means implementing the nursing leadership quality, it is essential to follow the steps to ensure that there is staff compliance. Thus, the first step in implementing the nursing leadership improvement project concerning quality and safety in the healthcare organization is unfreezing (Evans & Wyre, 2010). This will involve looking for a way of making the staff in the healthcare organization letting go of the old practice. In this step, the staff will be helped in overcoming resistance and group conformity. The disequilibrium occurs in this step, causing disruption, which is important in identifying the relevant factors affecting the organization’s operations. This step is essential because for the change to be effective there is a need to strengthen the driving forces and weaken the restraining forces. Quality and Safety in Nursing Department

Therefore, the focus will be directing the staff’s minds from the organization’s existing situation. This will go along with the decreasing of the factors that are likely to cause the staff to resist the changes in the organization. The second step that will ensure that the staff complies with the introduced changes is moving. This involves initiating the process of changing the behavior, feelings, and thoughts of the nurses. In this regard, it would be essential to convince the nurses that they need to look at the existing problems from a different perspective, and that change is important (Vines et al., 2014). In the project, it would be essential to work with other people, including the staff’s representatives to develop and implement new ideas. Any form of resistance to change will also be prevented if the one leading the changes connects with the other leaders who support the changes. This step is essential in dispersing the fears and addressing any uncertainty associated NURSING DEPARTMENT 4 with change. Putting together a supportive team and a proper communication strategy will ensure that the desired changes are achieved. The final step in ensuring that staff compliance is freezing; this involves the establishment of change as the new norm on the healthcare organization.

This step is critical to ensure that all the changes implemented in the organization are long-term, and the staff does not revert to the old practice (Wojciechowski et al., 2016). The success of this step will create a new norm and practice, which will improve quality and safety within the organization. Approach to Communicate the Plan The approach to communication in the implementation of the project will involve both verbal and written strategies. This will be important in influencing all the nurses to make healthy decisions and choices. The communication strategy adopted will be aimed at promoting positive attitudes and behavior among healthcare professionals. First, there will be the use of the evidence-based approach to ensure that the target audience is persuaded. The approach will take into account the priority of the dominant culture and the healthcare organization. Second, there will be consideration of health literacy as well as the exposure of the target staff. Finally, there will be the development of the materials that will incorporate the guidelines that should be followed to improve the healthcare organization’s quality and safety. This communication approach will be critical in the knowledge, attitude, and behavior among healthcare professionals (Bakari, Hunjra & Niazi, 2017). Quality and Safety in Nursing Department

The implications will be; positive practices, and positively influencing social norms. It will also be aimed at improving the availability of the support services needed by the patients and empower the nurses to advance in their nursing practice. Force Filed Model NURSING DEPARTMENT 5 The project involves changes in the healthcare environment. The force field model is selected as the focus is on getting a model that gives direction in diagnosing the situation and managing change within the organization. The model assumes that in any situation, there are restraining and driving factors. It also believes that human behavior is influenced by the beliefs, expectations, and norms of their environment (Bakari, Hunjra & Niazi, 2017). Considering these assumptions in the healthcare environment, the changes need to be supported in arriving at the force field model.

The model will enable the healthcare workers shift from the old ways of operation that will counterproductive. It will also be the best model of effecting changes in the behavior, expectations, feelings, and thoughts of the healthcare workers (Udod & Wagner, 2018). This will be important in ensuring that the healthcare workers do not revert to the old ways of doing things. The changes will be effective in improving the nursing leadership and, in the long term, address the challenge of quality and safety inpatient care in the healthcare organization. Leadership Style Utilized and Evidence of its Effectiveness A supportive leadership style will be utilized in the implementation of the project. This style will effectively influence the operations in the healthcare organization. In healthcare organizations, nurses are motivated by the support and consideration of the suggestions, ideas, and opinions (Sfantou et al., 2017). In this regard, the leader who is in charge of decision making is required to work closely with all the healthcare workers in the organization and provide a pleasant working environment, be concerned with the welfare of the workers and ensure that they are treated fairly. This will enhance the working relations and improve the quality and safety of the patients in the organization. The evidence of the supportive leadership style’s effectiveness is that the leaders no longer make lone decisions on what the workers should do and what they should do it. The NURSING DEPARTMENT 6 consultation of the healthcare workers by the leaders has worked to improve their motivation (Needleman & Hassmiller, 2009).

This has gone along with creating a conducive working environment that has enhanced the quality and safety of the patients in the organization. It is important to note that the leaders no longer set the expected achievement standards and the working plan without the healthcare workers’ input. This is clear evidence that the supportive leadership style has influenced the decision-making process, the design and implementation of those decisions, and the organization’s overall performance. The style further contributes to the understanding of the management in the organization. Management Functions Utilized One of the management functions utilized in the project implementation is staffing. This is where the management ensures that the nurses are well trained to handle patients. This includes ensuring that workers can attend continuous career development courses to update emerging issues in nursing (Needleman, 2015). Quality and Safety in Nursing Department

There was also the promotion and better remuneration of the health workers besides creating a pleasant working environment. This is important in improving the quality of services in the organization. Therefore, the leader’s responsibility for proper planning and execution of staffing in the organization is undertaken. The other management function which was utilized is organizing. It is important to note that the public does not understand the work of the nurses in the healthcare organization which is a threat to quality services and patient safety. Quality and Safety in Nursing Department

Therefore, the leader is supposed to ensure that there are enough nurses to take care of the patients. This includes the coordination of care and education of the patients to improve the quality. This will help the public focus on the nurses’ work and differentiate them from other support staffs (Bakari, Hunjra & Niazi, 2017). It is important to note that nurses’ work is both emotionally and physically demanding; hence, they need NURSING DEPARTMENT 7 organizational and intellectual competence. Therefore, the utilization of the management functions will ensure that nurses can monitor the patients well, educate the patients and their caretakers and coordinate the care provided by the other healthcare providers. Proposed Change Impacts the Healthcare Organization’s Budget and Costs The proposed changed aimed at improving the quality and safety in the organization has cost implications. First, the increased staffing in the organization increases the budget of the organization. This is aimed at improving the quality of services offered. However, this cost is expected to be recovered from the decrease in the cost paid by the organization from the claims arising from poor quality services. It is also expected the high cost associated with increase in staffing in the organization will be recovered from the decrease of cost of claims arising from lack of safety. The nurses will have the ability to effectively coordinate their work and that of others well. This will reflect the ability of the nurses to enhance efficiency and quality in the organization. Plan to Address Non-Compliance and Rejecters to Assure Compliance There are several options that will be explored to address the issues of non-compliance in the project. The first action will be to tap the knowledge that the nurses have acquired from their experience in the organization.

This will go along with the integration of the nurses’ perspective in the decision making and implementation of the project. There is also a plan to actively involve the front-line workers in making and sustaining changes in the organization. The other action plan to address non-compliance will be increasing the visibility and participation of the leadership in the project implementation. This is by ensuring that all the groups in the organization are represented in the project implementation leadership. Finally, there will be proper communication and regular updates on all the stakeholders on the project implementation. NURSING DEPARTMENT 8 Evaluation of the Effectiveness Post-Implementation of the Proposed Change The project’s effectiveness will be evaluated by assessing the number of claims arising from the quality of services. There will also be an assessment of the number of patients seeking assistance in the organization. This will include the overall evaluation and refining of the entire health organization approach to the patients’ quality and safety. Finally, there will be an assessment of the complaints arising from the patient’s safety concerns. The assessment of the complaint will interrogate whether the patient’s outcomes have improved. This will require the nurse leaders to engage with the staff to rethink and experiment with new approaches to quality and patient safety. Conclusion The healthcare organization need to implement the project to improve the quality of services and patient safety. As front-line workers, nurses need to play critical roles, and the organization must focus on providing patient-based care. The force field model is essential in ensuring that the changes are implemented in the long term. The difference in the leadership or the staff’s culture is not enough, but instead, there is a need to improve on the management of the organization. There is a need to institutionalize the organization’s changes to improve the organization’s quality and safety. Thus, the force field model will enhance the performance of the nursing leader in the organization, which is essential in promoting quality services and patient safety. NURSING DEPARTMENT 9 References Bakari, H., Hunjra, A. I., & Niazi, G. S. K. (2017). How does authentic leadership influence plan organizational change? The role of employees’ perceptions: Integration of theory of planned behavior and Lewin’s three-step model. Journal of Change Management, 17(2), 155-187. Evans, C., & Wyre, L. (2010). How senior nurses can make change happen. Nursing Management-UK, 17(4). Needleman, J. (2015). Nurse staffing: knowns and unknowns. Nurs Econ, 33(1), 5-7. Needleman, J., & Hassmiller, S. (2009). The Role of Nurses in Improving Hospital Quality and Efficiency: Real-World Results: Nurses have vital roles to play as hospitals continue their quest for higher quality and better patient safety. Health Affairs, 28(Suppl3), w625-w633. Sfantou, D. F., Laliotis, A., Patelarou, A. E., Sifaki-Pistolla, D., Matalliotakis, M., & Patelarou, E. (2017, December). Importance of leadership style towards the quality of care measures in healthcare settings: a systematic review. In Healthcare (Vol. 5, No. 4, p. 73). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Udod, S., & Wagner, J. (2018). Common Change Theories and Application to Different Nursing Situations. Leadership and Influencing Change in Nursing. Vines, M. M., Dupler, A. E., Van Son, C. R., & Guido, G. W. (2014). Improving client and nurse satisfaction through the utilization of bedside report. Journal for nurses in professional development, 30(4), 166-173. Wojciechowski, E., Pearsall, T., Murphy, P., & French, E. (2016). A case review: Integrating Lewin’s theory with lean’s system approach for change. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(2). … Quality and Safety in Nursing Department