Introduction
Change is integral to any organization, the nursing setting not being an exception to the rule. In fact, the nursing environment requires consistent change particularly strongly due to the need to address emergent health issues and mitigate the associated threats as effectively as possible. Thus, nursing organizations must adapt and introduce innovations, including both healthcare-related and organizational changes to the target context (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). By creating a culture of change in a nursing organization, one will prepare nurses for the development of new skills and rapid responses to emergent threats, which is why the Transformational Leadership framework and the use of the Servant Leadership model are required in the target environment.
Leadership Traits
In a nursing setting, one must exert the qualities that will encourage the staff to build the required skills while managing their tasks in an organized, diligent, and timely manner. More importantly, the focus on communication and interdisciplinary collaboration must be persistent, representing one of the core priorities. Indeed, research indicates that the development of an inclusive setting inviting nurses to collaborate on different levels contributes to faster and more effective data management, with improved patient outcomes (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). Therefore, the leadership characteristics promoting the specified change are vital. Additionally, a nursing leader must be emotionally intelligent and able to think critically since decision-making outcomes determine the speed and probability of a patient’s recovery (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). Finally, as a nursing leader, one must be respectful to all stakeholders involved, including patients and staff members, which will be conducive to patient and nurse education.
Barriers to Change
The promotion of incremental learning among nurses along with the emphasis on inclusivity and diversity is likely to elicit an array of responses, including negative ones. Resistance to change is one of the most common responses to alterations in the workplace, which is why one must be ready for the specified phenomenon as a leader. When developing appropriate measures for addressing the pushback to be observed among nurses, one must keep in mind that fear remains one of the primary drivers of nurses’ resistance to change (Weiss et al., 2019). Namely, the fear of failing to meet the new and more demanding standards, as well as skepticism toward the effects of the promoted change, should be seen as the primary obstacles and symptoms of resistance to change. To counteract the specified issues, a nurse leader will need to deploy the Transformational Leadership approach along with incentives for the team members.
Theoretical Framework
To evaluate the positive effects of incremental change in the nursing environment and develop the strategies that will guide the proposed change, a profound theoretical framework will be required. Specifically, one should pay especially strong attention to the theory of contingency, which posits that the leadership style should be selected based on a specific situation and the key circumstances in which it will be deployed (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). Based on the Contingency Theory of Leadership, the model to be introduced into the nursing setting can be described as a combination of the Transformational and Situational Leadership approaches, according to King et al. (2018). The specified theoretical framework will help shape nurses’ perception of the promoted change, while also introducing enough flexibility to assist them in adjusting to the new requirements and standards.
Effects of Driving Change
It is expected that the consistent focus on promoting change will help nurses recognize the inevitability and significance of change in healthcare. Specifically, apart from adjusting to the new mode of data management and communication in a multicultural and cross-disciplinary setting, nurses are expected to develop the ability to shape their strategies and attitudes, as well as acquire new skills, with the emergence of new circumstances and factors in the healthcare and nursing contexts. For instance, with a rise in the extent of new health risks, nurses will be expected to focus on gaining the skills needed to counteract the threat and educate vulnerable populations and groups at risk about the health danger.
Strategies
In order to refine, maintain, and change the organizational culture, a nurse leader is expected to develop an elaborate strategy for supporting change. The strategy in question is expected to be based on McKinsey’s 7S Change Management Model. According to the framework in question, seven crucial components, namely, strategy, structure, skills, staff, style, and systems, must be integrated into the change management approach, as Ray (2016) suggests. Applying McKinsey’s model to the nursing context will imply building a strategy based on the notion of continuous learning as the essential aspect of the promotion of change.
Specifically, in the first stage, the strategy geared toward improving nurses’ competencies and skill rates will be developed, with a focus on cross-cultural knowledge sharing. Simultaneously, the structure will be updated in accordance with the newly designed standards and values, with an emphasis on the performance of line managers as mediators between nurses and managers. Next, the update in the nurses’ skills will occur, with training sessions being provided to help the target population acquire new insights into communication and patient education. Afterward, the staff members’ roles will be revisited to ensure that the new structure is supported substantially. The choice of the leadership style, particularly, the integration of the transformation Situational approaches, will be implemented next. Finally, the existing systems, specifically, the data management one, will be updated to include the latest technological options.
Equity and Inclusion
At the same time, the proposed strategy will allow for increased inclusion and the enhancement of equity principles. Specifically, the focus on addressing nurses’ professional development needs will allow all staff members to update their competencies, therefore, gaining additional opportunities. Furthermore, the suggested approach grounded in nursing ethics will encourage staff members to treat all patients equally and avoid integrating personal bias into decision-making.
Interprofessional Team
Furthermore, the focus on creating an interdisciplinary team with an emphasis on collaboration must be prioritized. As a nursing leader, one will need to encourage active cooperation between healthcare experts at different levels so that the process of data management could be uninterrupted. Furthermore, the issue of conflicts, particularly, confrontations between nurses and physicians, will need to be removed by introducing a patient- and outcome-oriented approach. Along with the compromise-oriented negotiation and conflict management strategy, the proposed solution will allow the building of a strong interdisciplinary team.
Conclusion
Promoting a culture of change in a nursing setting is a major challenge due to the obstacles such as resistance to change and the lack of resources, including consistent leadership. However, by incorporating the principles of Transformational and situational leadership, as well as the idea of continuous learning, one will create a platform for successful change. Moreover, the described alterations will help improve patient outcomes and collaboration among nurses significantly which is why the suggested technique must be promoted as the core nursing framework for change.
References
Hassmiller, S., & Pulcini, J. (Eds.). (2020). Advanced practice nursing leadership: A global perspective. Springer.
King, C. R., Gerard, S. O. & Rapp, C. G. (Eds.). (2018). Essential knowledge for CNL and APRN nurse leaders. Springer Publishing Company.
Ray, M. A. (2016). Transcultural caring dynamics in nursing and health care. FA Davis.
Weiss, S. A., Tappen, R. M., & Grimley, K. (2019). Essentials of nursing leadership & management (7th ed.). FA Davis.