Planned Change in a Department or Unit

care and improve patient safety to keeping pace with the rapid growth in knowledge and best practices. Establishing a solid framework for planning and implementing change is a wise move, as it provides a foundation for the extensive coordination that will be needed to successfully facilitate the change.

For this Assignment, you propose a change at the department or unit level and develop a plan for guiding the change effort.

To prepare:

• Review Chapter 8 in the course text. Focus on Kurt Lewin’s change theory, and contrast it with other classic change models and strategies.
• Reflect on problems, inefficiencies, and critical issues within a specific department, unit, or area in your organization or one with which you are familiar. Select one issue as a focal point for this assignment, and consider a change that could be made to address the issue.
• Think about how the change would align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values as well as relevant professional standards.
• Using one of the change models or strategies discussed in Chapter 8, begin formulating a plan for implementing the change within the department/unit. Outline the steps that you and/or others should follow to facilitate the change effort. Align these steps to the change model or strategy you selected.
• Determine who should be involved in initiating and managing the change. Consider the skills and characteristics that are necessary to facilitate this change effort.

To complete:

By Day 7

Write a 3- to 5-page paper (page count does not include title and reference page) that addresses the following:

• Identify a problem, inefficiency, or issue within a specific department/unit.
• Describe a specific, realistic change that could be made to address the issue.
• Summarize how the change would align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values as well as relevant professional standards.
• Identify a change model or strategy to guide your planning for implementing the change. Provide a rationale for your selection.
• Outline the steps that you and/or others would follow to facilitate the change. Align these steps to your selected change model or strategy.
• Explain who would be involved in initiating and managing this change. Describe the skills and characteristics that would be necessary to facilitate the change effort.

Reminder: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. .