Planned Change in a Department
Nurses have the responsibility of preventing diseases, promoting heath and assisting the patients in dealing with diseases. In most cases nurses play a critical role of health education and health advocates for patients, communities and to the families. Nurses assess, observe and record the progress, reactions and symptoms of patients with time. There cases when collaboration among the nurses and the physicians is poor to an extent that nurses are not motivated to carry out their duties in the work environment, which is an indicator of de-motivated nurses. This paper identifies with lateness and absenteeism of nurses at the Nurse Corps (AN), which is part of the United States Army Medical Department.
Nurse Corps (AN) is recognized by the Army Reorganization Act of 1901. The motto of AN is attached to embracing the past, engaging the present and envisioning the future, this is critical in building the vision of AN. The mission statement of AN indicate that the tasks and actions of AN must work and lead towards the wellness of the soldiers or warriors and also towards the wellness of the soldier’s families. AN is committed in delivering quality healthcare to the warriors and their families in envisioning military medicine.
There have been inefficiencies within AN due to lateness and absenteeism of nurses within the department. Lateness and absenteeism is an indicator of poorly motivated nurses within the medical facility, there are many causes that could lead to lateness and absenteeism, and it is the responsibility of the leader at the facility to consult the relevant stakeholders (Sare & Ogilvie, 2009). Lateness and absenteeism has led to the poor performance of AN, and the facility face managerial issues. It is argued that lateness and absenteeism are expensive, cause resentment, low productivity and foster presenteeism.
There is a need to change the mindset of the nurses and encourage punctuality and full time availability of nurses at AN. In so doing, AN will meet the vision, mission and the values within the facility on serving the warriors and their families effectively. It is worth noting that change is not a one day phenomenon within the department, and it will definitely take time (Sare & Ogilvie, 2009). In most cases nurses within AN will resist change, it is worth developing a change strategy that will facilitate rapport among the nurses.
Communicating change has no single formula that fits all situations, it is the responsibility of the leader to assess the situation first and device the best change initiative within the facility. Changing tasks is easy, but changing habits and behaviors of the nurses will take an effort and time. The leader must gather all the relevant information that would derail or facilitate the change initiative in AN. It is worth noting on the need of the change and what will to change, the leader must establish the desired results from the communication tactic or program and form of the change initiative (Sare & Ogilvie, 2009).
The leader must foster on the communication strategies at the start of the negotiations and all the nurses must be actively involved in the change initiative. The leader must communicate the need of change to the nurses and incorporate the opinions of the nurses, this is part of sharing information among the nurses, a process critical in the implementation phase (Sare & Ogilvie, 2009). The leader must make sure that consistency and quality are maintained in the change initiative. The nurses should be allowed to share their views, concerns, questions and ideas as part of making sure that all the stakeholders are involved in the change initiative. In so doing, changing from lateness and absenteeism will face minimized resistance within AN.
Kurt Lewin’s change model is encouraged in facilitating the changes within AN (Lewin, 2013). Change is inevitable in organizations regardless of age, size and industry. Effective management of change will be critical in meeting the desired vision and mission of AN in serving warriors and their families. Lewin’s change model involve three stages, the first stage is known as Unfreezing, second stage in known as Change stage and the third stage is known as the Refreezing stage (Lewin, 2013). It has been noted that Unfreezing stage will determine what is to change within AN, making sure that the upper management supports the change model, creating a need of change within the facility and understanding and managing concerns and doubts of various stakeholders (Lewin, 2013).
Change stage will involve communicating often, dispelling rumors, empowering nurses and involving all the people within the department for the change process (Lewin, 2013). Refreezing stage will involve anchoring the changes strongly in the organizational culture, developing models of sustaining the changes, facilitating training and support and finally celebrating successes of the change initiative within AN (Lewin, 2013). It is worth noting that all the stakeholders within AN must be actively involved in the change process, it is not only the nurses. The change effort must be supported by all the stakeholders in sustaining the new developments (Sare & Ogilvie, 2009).
Delivering change within AN is critical in making sure that the facility is as efficient as possible. Lewin’s Change management model is applied in leading the change initiative within AN. The leader plays a critical role in making sure that the change processes is implemented in meeting the vision and the mission of the facility by making sure that punctuality of nurses is maintained and absenteeism is highly discouraged.
References
Lewin, K. (2013). Lewin’s Change Management Model, Understanding the Three Stages of Change. Retrieved December 30, 2013, from Nwacademy.nhs.uk: http://www.nwacademy.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/86_1722011_lewin_s_change_management_model.pdf
Sare, M. & Ogilvie, L. (2009). Strategic Planning For Nurses: Change Management In Health Care. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
