A Nurse Leader Action Plan Regarding Polypharmacy

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Table of Contents

Summary
Actions Taken by A Nurse Leader
References

Summary

Successful implementation of a project implies having staff and leaders change their work practices. In this project that aims to minimize polypharmacy, needless medications, and excessive medications, considerations are put on the nurse leader’s role for each stage of the project (Sganga et al., 2015). The roles include effective planning, task coordination, overseeing the project, inspiring team members, and decision-making, which are essential to establishing a plan of action for project implementation. Behavioral change has numerous steps more than educating staff and leadership to change. However, as a nurse leader, to effect change will require persuading staff to change.

Leadership involves many aspects, including setting a strategic direction, creating a shared sense of purpose, and modeling behaviors required to be seen in others. Effective leadership transcends something more mundane, like getting individuals to do things they would rather not do but benefit the organization (Udod & Wagner, 2018). Since leadership involves the work of change, the top priority as a nurse leader will entail overcoming the natural tendency to resist change by persuading staff. Therefore, getting staff to change will begin by asking them to do something easy (Weiss et al., 2019). When they agree to the request and accomplish the objective, they will develop a sense of confidence and commitment, making them more enthusiastic about agreeing to the more extensive or subsequent request. The path to significant change will be paved by many small steps building on each other. In addition, to help the team accept and assist in pushing change, it will require following particular steps. The steps include stating the change, listening and acknowledging feedback, using emotional intelligence, explaining the why, defining clear roles, providing training, and rewarding acceptance.

Actions Taken by A Nurse Leader

Communication with Stakeholders

Stakeholders’ support will be critical to the success of the intervention project. Stakeholders must be involved during every project phase to build support, offer design suggestions, and participate in the evaluation and continuous quality improvement plans. Nurse leaders will communicate regularly to secure, manage expectations, and maintain stakeholders’ support (Hayes, 2022). According to Blair (n.d.), nurse leaders with set the tone for their entire department about communication with each other, including physicians, doctors, families, and patients. The communication will include everything from project intervention progress updates to conflict resolutions in the facility (Weiss et al., 2019). Communication with stakeholders will be maintained through developing strategies to enhance and monitor how every staff works together.

Training

Growing as a nurse leader mainly implies focusing on an exceptional skill set leading to nursing leadership, such as guidance. A nurse leader will use motivational and interpersonal strategies to lead the group and individual nurses under them (Sudsawad, 2007). According to Weiss et al. (2019), through mentorship, a nurse leader will cultivate an environment of continual development and learning within the project intervention. In addition, the nurse leader will offer education to staff on the importance of using the correct drugs for particular diseases and avoiding needless medication.

Budget

Budgeting is a delicate task for nurse leaders who are accountable and responsible for the project budget. As Weiss et al. (2019) stated, improper budgets result in a lack of coordination increasing costs and inefficiency in achieving set objectives. The operating budget will be the key driver of all levels of project management (Garfinkel & Mangin, 2010). Operating budget will help in the efficient and smooth operation to meet set objectives and goals. Budgeting will influence patients’ use of drugs and the degree and provision of clinical care. Resources will be provided to avoid the misuse of drugs and develop a budget within the healthcare organization that includes cash, capital expenditure, and operating cost to realize a successful project (Hayes, 2022). Nurse leaders will ensure a proper budget and collaborate with nursing staff on the unit and other parties in healthcare to realize quality care provision.

Change Management

Becoming a change coach is an essential concept in the field of nurse leadership as it controls a combination of plans and skills to influence the mindset of teams, their capabilities, and a person’s talents. Nurse leaders advocate change by underscoring the positive elements of new organizational features, procedures, and technology. In this project, change management will entail the adoption of electronic options to assist drug-drug and drug-disease reactions before issuing prescriptions. The change also primarily involves the minimization of polypharmacy cases and needless medications among patients (Sganga et al., 2015). To realize change, nurse leaders will engage in hands-on training and communicate effectively with staff, expressing challenges, reservations, and successes they witness to administrators, providing foresight and expertise to recognize change in medications.

The change management theory relevant to this project is Kurt Lewin’s change model. The model entails three steps: unfreezing, transition, and freezing (Hayes, 2022). Lewin’s model will be relevant to the project because it will help make changes more smoothly as it identifies the need for change and establishes its readiness. The theory will support nurse leaders through the transitions and recognize areas of resistance and strengths before implementing change.

Authority

Nurse leaders play vital roles in executive and administrative positions. They demonstrate authority by carrying out diverse managerial and administrative functions entailing human resources and financial management, quality of care standards, organizational goals, and patient and nurse advocacy. Nurse leaders will make decisions about project implementation, organize staff training, prepare budgets, and foster professional development (Weiss et al., 2019). They will also oversee nursing units and ensure nurses follow set procedures and protocols that maintain high-quality care and patient safety regarding drugs. A nurse leader will represent nurses in meetings with other executive leaders and advocate for patients, working to promote their satisfaction and a safe environment.

References

Blair, T. (n.d.). Leading the way: A new vision for local government. Institute for Public Policy Research.

Garfinkel, D., & Mangin, D. (2010). Feasibility study of a systematic approach for discontinuation of multiple medications in older adults: addressing polypharmacy. Archives of Internal Medicine, 170(18), 1648-1654. Web.

Hayes, J. (2022). The theory and practice of change management. Bloomsbury Publishing. Web.

Sganga, F., Landi, F., Ruggiero, C., Corsonello, A., Vetrano, D. L., Lattanzio, F., & Onder, G. (2015). Polypharmacy and health outcomes among older adults discharged from hospital: results from the CRIME study. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 15(2), 141-146. Web.

Sudsawad, P. (2007). Knowledge translation: introduction to models, strategies and measures. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research.

Udod, S., & Wagner, J. (2018). Common change theories and application to different nursing situations. Leadership and Influencing Change in Nursing.

Weiss, S. A., Tappen, R. M., & Grimley, K. (2019). Essentials of nursing leadership & management, (7th ed.). FA Davis.

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