NURS FPX 4010 Assessment 3 Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX 4010 Leading in Intrprof Practice

Prof. Name:

Date

Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal

This interdisciplinary plan proposal addresses the challenge of prolonged patient transfer times within Johns Hopkins Hospital. The plan will be implemented within the department responsible for patient transfers. Our desired outcome is to significantly reduce transfer times, enhance interdepartmental coordination, and ultimately improve the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care delivery within the hospital.

Objective

Implement a comprehensive and streamlined patient transfer protocol at Johns Hopkins Hospital to significantly reduce the time taken for patient transfers and improve interdepartmental coordination, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care delivery.

Questions and Predictions

What reduction in patient transfer time is expected with the new system? Prediction: The new system aims to reduce transfer times by approximately 15-20%, with a potential initial increase during the adaptation phase, followed by improvements.
How will the new system impact nursing staff workload and morale in the short and long term? Prediction: Initially, nursing staff may face increased workload and challenges, but in the long term (around 3-6 months post-implementation), the system is expected to streamline processes, reduce workload, and improve morale.
How is patient satisfaction expected to change with the improved transfer process? Prediction: Patient satisfaction is anticipated to improve significantly, particularly in reduced wait times and smoother departmental transitions. Patient satisfaction scores may rise by 10-15% as the new system integrates.

Several evidence-based methods will be applied to gauge the success of the new patient transfer protocol at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Firstly, the reduction in transfer times will be quantitatively measured, as suggested by Tlapa et al. (2020), who emphasize the importance of tracking specific performance metrics in healthcare improvements. Secondly, staff workload and morale will be assessed through regular surveys and interviews, a method supported by Kabukye et al. (2020), highlighting the significance of staff feedback in evaluating organizational changes.

Lastly, patient satisfaction scores, a crucial indicator of care quality per Rosis et al. (2020), will be monitored before and after the implementation to measure the impact on patient experience. Collectively, these methods comprehensively evaluate the protocol’s effectiveness in enhancing patient care and operational efficiency.

Change Theories and Leadership Strategies

For implementing the patient transfer protocol at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model is highly applicable. Kotter’s model, as detailed in his work “Leading Change” by Harrison et al. (2021) emphasizes creating a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, forming a strategic vision, enlisting a volunteer army, enabling action by removing barriers, generating short-term wins, sustaining acceleration, and instituting change. In the context of Johns Hopkins Hospital, the first step, creating urgency, can be achieved by communicating the current inefficiencies in patient transfers and the potential impact on patient care.

Building a guiding coalition would involve bringing together key personnel from different departments to champion the initiative. According to Harrison et al. (2021), this model is particularly effective in large organizations like Johns Hopkins Hospital because it provides a clear roadmap for complex change, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned and motivated towards improving patient care through efficient transfer processes.

Alongside Kotter’s model, the Servant Leadership approach focuses on the leader serving the team, emphasizing the importance of listening to team members, empathizing, and nurturing their skills. In the dynamic and interprofessional environment of Johns Hopkins Hospital, servant leadership can be instrumental in building trust and collaboration among the interdisciplinary team. By prioritizing the needs of the team members, addressing their concerns, and involving them in decision-making, the leadership can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment. As Pawar et al. (2020) suggest, this approach is crucial in healthcare settings, where effective teamwork directly impacts patient outcomes. By combining Kotter’s structured change model with the empathetic approach of Servant Leadership, the interdisciplinary team at Johns Hopkins Hospital can be effectively guided toward successful collaboration and implementation of the patient transfer protocol.

Team Collaboration Strategy

In addressing the patient transfer protocol issue at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a well-defined collaboration strategy is crucial to ensure the success of the interdisciplinary team. The responsibilities and actions for implementing the plan involve multiple stakeholders. One of the key collaborative approaches employed is regular interdisciplinary team meetings. These meetings will bring together members from nursing, IT, and other relevant departments to discuss the progress of the patient transfer protocol implementation, share insights, and address any challenges. These meetings will be held bi-weekly, providing a structured platform for open communication and collaboration among team members (Pawar et al., 2020).

Another collaborative approach is utilizing a shared electronic health record (EHR) system. This technology will enable real-time access to patient information for all team members, regardless of their department. For example, when a patient is transferred from the nursing unit to radiology, the nursing and radiology teams will access the same patient data.

NURS FPX 4010 Assessment 3 Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal

This approach fosters seamless communication and coordination between departments, reducing errors and delays in the transfer process (Kiernan et al., 2019). Furthermore, a designated project manager with experience in interdisciplinary projects will oversee the collaboration efforts. The project manager will facilitate team meetings, ensuring that discussions remain focused and action items are assigned and followed up. This leadership role will help drive collaboration and align the team with project objectives.

To support these collaborative approaches, best practices of interdisciplinary collaboration from the literature emphasize the importance of clear communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. Research by Kiernan et al. (2019) highlights that effective interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare requires team members to value each other’s contributions and engage in open dialogue. Additionally, Pawar et al. (2020) stress the significance of shared decision-making in interdisciplinary teams, which empowers members to participate actively in problem-solving and decision-making processes.

In the Johns Hopkins Hospital, these collaborative approaches align with the organizational culture of excellence in patient care and interdisciplinary teamwork. By implementing these strategies, the interdisciplinary team aims to improve patient transfer processes, enhance communication, and ultimately achieve the plan’s objective of reducing transfer times and improving patient care outcomes.

Required Organization Resources

In implementing an interdisciplinary patient transfer protocol improvement plan at Johns Hopkins Hospital, it is imperative to outline the required organizational resources, including a comprehensive financial budget. The success of this plan hinges on allocating adequate resources to support various essential components of the initiative. To effectively execute the patient transfer protocol improvement plan, we need to allocate financial resources as follows: an estimated $500,000 for the acquisition and implementation of an advanced electronic health record (EHR) system, $100,000 for staff training programs, and an annual budget of $50,000 for ongoing IT support and maintenance of the EHR system.

These allocations are based on research indicating that hospitals with well-implemented EHR systems experience shorter patient transfer times and more efficient workflows, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes. Additionally, comprehensive staff training programs have enhanced staff competence, increasing job satisfaction and morale (Crowley et al., 2023).

Failure to allocate the necessary financial resources could severely affect the hospital. With the budget for the EHR system and staff training, the plan’s implementation may be manageable. Prolonged patient transfer times, inefficient workflows, and potential dissatisfaction among staff and patients may result. In the long term, inadequate investment may lead to higher operational costs and hinder the hospital’s competitiveness in the healthcare industry. In a real-world example, a nearby hospital that neglected to invest in an EHR system faced significant issues. Prolonged patient transfer times led to delayed care, potential legal liabilities, and increased costs due to inefficiencies. The hospital’s reputation suffered, resulting in a loss of patient trust and decreased competitiveness in the healthcare market.

References

Crowley, R., Pugach, D., Williams, M., Goldman, J. D., Hilden, D., Schultz, A.F., & Beachy, M. (2023). Principles for the physician-led patient-centeredPhysiciansome and other approaches to team-based care: A position paper from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.7326/m23-2260

De Rosis, S., Cerasuolo, D., & Nuti, S. (2020). Using patient-reported measures to drive change in healthcare: The experience of the digital, continuous and systematic PREMs observatory in Italy. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05099-4

Harrison, R., Fischer, S., Walpola, R. L., Chauhan, A., Babalola, T., Mears, S., & Le-Dao, H. (2021). Where do models for change management, improvement and implementation meet? A systematic review of the applications of change management models in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, Volume 13(13), 85–108. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7966357/

Kabukye, J. K., de Keizer, N., & Cornet, R. (2020). Assessment of organizational readiness to implement an electronic health record system in a low-resource settings cancer hospital: A cross-sectional survey. PLOS ONE, 15(6), e0234711. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234711

Kiernan, L., Ledwith, A., & Lynch, R. (2019). Comparing the dialogue of experts and novices in interdisciplinary teams to inform design education. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 30(1), 187–206. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-019-09495-8

Pawar, A., Sudan, K., Satini, S., & Sunarsi, D. (2020). Organizational servant leadership. International Journal of Educational Administration, Management, and Leadership, 1(2), 63–76.