Elaine La Monica Rigolosi states that “high expectations generally result in high performance” and I truly agree with that. My organization, which is a small rural level VI call hospital contains 18 beds, ER, Ob, short-stay surgery, RT and rehab services. The facility not only provides great patient care, but also pushes for exceptional patient customer service and feedback.
After looking over the material provided, I would have to say that my facility correlates with Kotter’s Change Model. When looking over the 8 steps, my organization is as follows:
1 ) Establishing a sense of urgency. When an issue arises that’s important esp, regarding patient care everyone is notified regarding the issue and it’s outcome.
2) Creating a guiding coalition at my facility involve mandatory quarterly meetings to keep all employees updated on hospital happenings and monthly nurses meetings to make sure all nurses are aware of new policies/issues.
3) Developing a vision and strategy is a topic that is shared by both the nursing department and the hospital. The hospital, which was rebuild 5 years ago, already has plans for expansion and the nursing department is asking for suggestions regarding the future of nursing expectations for 1 year and 5 years from now.
4) Communicating the change vision is reported in various meetings at various time periods throughout the year.
5) Empowering employees for broad-based action is seen in the autonomy that each of us are given everyday through patient care. Nursing staff is expected to maintain certifications and use their knowledge to the best of our ability.
6) Generating short-term wins are primarily seen as patients improve and when the hospital receives good ratings regarding patient care.
7) Consolidating gains and producing more changes. This is seen moreso when poor patient situations are turned around and lessons are taken to improve the quality of care provided in the future.
8) Anchoring new approaches in the culture. The facility is always looking towards various avenues of technology and evolving to improve patient care.
Although I feel that my organization represents great health care; it is not perfect. I still have seen various politics play out that have blown my mind. Ultimately, I have seen what my organization is capable of and am glad to be a part of an ever evolving hospital.
Rigolosi, Elaine La Monica, EdD, JD, FAAN. Management and Leadership in Nursing and Health Care : An Experiential Approach, 2nd Edition, Springer Publishing Company, 2005. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.fhsu.edu/lib/fhsu/detail.action?docID=423601.
Thomson, Steven. 2013 February 17. Kotter’s 8 Step Organizational Change Model FC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxtF4OXzhyI#action=share
That’s great that your organization has been so successful in implementing change! It sounds like a great place to work. All organizations have political issues. I too have seen that occur in my organization which is one of the reasons I ultimately left the ICU after 9 years and moved to a clinic setting. I can actually care for my patients now and give them as much attention as needed without administration hovering.
It must be so different working for a small facility such as yours compared to mine at 547 beds. I would imagine you hear all of the political gossip. I can see the positive side of working for a smaller hospital. You as an individual nurse have a better opportunity for standing out. Unlike a hospital such as mine where no matter how great a nurse one might be, one gets lost in the crowd of 1,000 other nurses.
As far as change goes, I would think a small hospital would have a better handle on the communication, implementation as well as follow through.