Leadership and Professional Experience

Leadership and Professional Experience

Task 1

Western Governors University

A1. Written Proposal: Identifying Issue

Delivery of new policy practice and procedure to all staff in a timely manner.

A1a: Explanation of Problem and Effect on Nursing Practice:

Maintaining current knowledge of policy and procedure for care staff. This is important to ensure quality of care is maintained and delivery of care is meeting the standard of care set by the hospital.

A2 & A2a: Investigation of Problem including evidence to substantiate problem:

Discussions with nurses in MSU, CCU, and ER, PACU, Director of Education, and a house supervisor. There is concern for delivery of new policy that ALL nurses can be reached. Current practice is quarterly updates or during staff meetings, which generally have low attendance.

A3 & A3a: Analysis of Situation and Contributing Areas:

A simple intake of question responses during interviews from nurses in all care areas. Areas contributing to problem include leadership turnover, lack of attendance at staff meetings, staff do not want to stop providing care to learn new policy. Lack of support for night shift.

A4 & A4a: Proposed Solution and Justification:

Utilize newly implemented Resource Nurse to deliver education of new policy and procedures to staff. Resource nurse hours cover all shifts, therefore reaching all staff. Creates a single resource for department directors, including education, and nursing staff to reach out to for support.

A5 & A5a: Recommended Resources and Cost Analysis:

Resources include the resource nurse department, department directors, education department staff and time with staff nurses from all departments. Their time will be what is used in the cost analysis.

A6: Timeline for Implementation:

Time line to implement will be 3 months.

A7 & A7a: Identify Stakeholders and their Importance in Implementation:

Department Directors – Support and involvement encourages success.

Staff RN’s – allow participation in delivery of their own education

Education Director – mentor for project, oversees hospital education practices

A7b: Engagement with Stakeholders:

When discussing my proposal with the Director of Education, she was enthusiastic and would when my assignment is complete would like to have a copy of it to present to the policy committee to implement it. She felt the using the Resource RN was within the job description for the position and scope of practice. Staff nurses agreed that having a single resource available 7 days a week and to every shift would be beneficial. Eliminating the need to take time on days off or away from patient care when working to learn new policy. They could utilize slow times in their shift. There is not currently a Director of Nursing at our hospital, the position in the process of being filled. Once filled their support to the proposal involvement in creating a supportive police will aid in the success of implementation. Department directors were thoughtful and optimistic that the proposal would be a success. Collaboration with the resource nurse was well received. Director of quality control to monitor incident reports both pre and post implementation, advise on areas needing further education.

A7c: Working with Stakeholders:

Attend department meeting during implementation phase to collaborate, receive input, and provide feedback regarding policy and how it would affect staff.

A8: How Proposal could be Implemented:

Begin with staff meetings with all resource nurses. Establish a plan. Present plan to department directors. Attend department staff meetings. Create a pilot with an easy to deliver policy, with list of staff required to receive education. Have staff sign paper acknowledging education received.

A8a: Evaluation of Success:

Evaluation could be a follow-up survey after pilot to staff nurses on effectiveness of training, including a comment section for suggestions on process improvement. Both pre and post surveys for comparison. Compare data of staff compliance pre and post implementation.

B 1-3: Role Fulfillment

1. Scientist: collects analyzes data from pre and post survey, researches data to improve process.

2. Detective: observes staff, interviews staff, to determine their needs/wants in delivery of new policy information. Creative in solutions to meet needs of all.

3. Manager of Healing Environment: Identifying weaknesses, finding solutions to ensure best care given.

References

Gibbs, S. S., & Kulig, J. C. (2017). Original research: “We definitely are role models”: Exploring how

clinical instructors’ influence nursing students’ attitudes towards older adults. Nurse Education In Practice, 2674-81. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2017.07.006

Young, H. M., Bakewell-Sachs, S., & Sarna, L. (2017). Nursing Practice, Research and Education in the West: The Best Is Yet to Come. Nursing Research, 66(3), 262-270. doi:10.1097/NNR.0000000000000218