D024 Joy in the Workplace: Force Field Analysis Summary

D024 Joy in the Workplace: Force Field Analysis Summary

Student Name

Western Governors University

D024 Professional Presence and Influence

Prof. Name:

Date

Joy in the Workplace: Force Field Analysis

The analysis focuses on implementing a new “sunshine” nurse role aimed at improving the workplace environment and patient care outcomes. This approach examines both facilitating and restraining forces, with scores assigned to indicate the strength of each factor on a scale from 1 to 5.

Facilitating Forces for the Recommendation

One of the strongest supporting factors (score 5) is that the new role can help achieve better patient outcomes. This specialized nurse would assist new nurses and provide additional support for critical or difficult patients on the floor, thus improving overall patient safety and care quality.

Another important facilitating force (score 4) is the potential reduction in stress levels experienced by new nurses. Having a dedicated “sunshine” nurse available could ease their transition and help build confidence, particularly during high-pressure situations. Additionally, this role could act as a safety net for critically ill patients by performing focused assessments, further contributing to patient safety (score 5).

Moreover, the “sunshine” nurse could function as an educational resource across different units, sharing knowledge and skills during shifts (score 3). This role could also help cover patient care in cases where the unit is short-staffed (score 3), thereby maintaining consistent patient care quality.

Overall, the total score for facilitating forces is 20, reflecting substantial support for the introduction of this role.

Restraining Forces Against the Recommendation

Despite the benefits, there are notable challenges and limitations to implementing the “sunshine” nurse role. The highest restraining force (score 4) is the concern that the night shift may not have adequate coverage if nurses are reassigned to train or assist in this new capacity. This could lead to staffing shortages during critical times.

The need to train nurses for this role means diverting time and resources, including temporarily removing one or two nurses from their regular patient care duties (score 3). Financial costs associated with training also present a minor but significant barrier (score 1).

Additionally, the “sunshine” nurse may not always be utilized or needed during certain shifts (score 3), which could reduce the efficiency of the role. There is also a concern that personal biases could affect how the “sunshine” nurse interacts with staff, potentially favoring some nurses over others (score 2).

The total score for restraining forces is 6, indicating moderate obstacles that need to be managed.

Summary Table of Force Field Analysis

Conclusion

The introduction of a “sunshine” nurse role appears to be strongly supported by the potential to enhance patient outcomes, reduce nurse stress, and provide additional educational resources. However, to ensure successful implementation, careful attention must be given to staffing coverage, training costs, and fair role utilization. Balancing these factors could promote greater joy in the workplace while maintaining high standards of patient care.

References

Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers. Harper & Row.

Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.

Salanova, M., Agut, S., & Peiró, J. M. (2005). Linking organizational resources and work engagement to employee performance and customer loyalty: The mediation of service climate. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6), 1217–1227. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.90.6.1217