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Applying Change Theory to Nursing Operations
In response to a request from a nurse manager to select a team of nurses to assist in implementing a long-needed change to existing policy, it will be necessary to change the manner in which the nursing staff performs shift-to-shift reporting. At present, nurses report to each other in the break room and the nurse manager has decided that in the next 2 weeks the nursing unit will transition to report being endorsed at the bedside. This paper describes how a project manager should approach this change project using a transformational leadership style to guide the process as well as how Kurt Lewin's change theory can be used support the change implementation process. Finally, a summary of the research and important findings concerning transformational leadership and Lewin's change theory in this context are provided in the conclusion.
Discussion concerning the selected leadership style and supporting rationale
Transformational leadership style was selected to implement the change to shift -to-shift nursing report at the bedside. As the term connotes, transformational leaders "transform" their organizations from their existing state to a desired state (Bass, 1998), making this leadership style especially appropriate for the change in shift-to-shift reporting. For instance, Avolio and Bass (2002) point out that in general, transformational leaders "motivate their associates, colleagues,...
2). Because people naturally tend to resist change, it is important for any leadership style to reinforce the need for change in order to motivate others to make the personal investments in time and effort that are required to accomplish it, making transformational leadership an optimal approach. One of the best strategies for achieving this outcome is the active and enthusiastic solicitation of feedback from those who will be most impacted by the change initiative (Bass, 2002).
2. Discussion concerning the change theorist selected to implement this change and supporting rationale
Kurt Lewin's change theory can be summed up by the now-famous dictum, "Unfreeze - Change -- Refreeze" (Rosch, 2002, p. 8). Although it is reasonable to posit that most managers recognize the challenges that are involved in implanting any change to their subordinates' day-to-day routine because this is a natural reaction. Most people truly hate changes to their daily routine because it requires a personal investment in time and effort that may have dubious results. Therefore, Lewin's change theory maintains that the current shift-to-shift reporting regimen must be unfrozen, a meaningful change implemented and this change formally adopted and codified.
Notwithstanding a change manager's…
References
Avolio, B. J., & Bass, B. M. (2002). Developing potential across a full range of leadership: Cases on transactional and transformational leadership. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Transformational leadership: Industrial, military, and educational impact. (1998). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Letvak, S. (2014, September). Overview and summary: Healthy nurses: Perspectives on caring for ourselves. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 19(3), 117-120.
Rosch, E. (2002, Summer). Lewin's field theory as situated action in organizational change. Organization Development Journal, 20(2), 8-11.
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