ANSWER
The Use of Change Theory in Clinical Practice
Lewin’s Change Management Model and Change Theory
Unfreezing, Changing (or Moving), and Refreezing are the three phases of Lewin’s Change Management Model, a popular concept in the healthcare industry. This approach places a strong emphasis on getting an organisation ready for change, putting the change into action, and finally stabilising the new procedure.
Clinical Change Example: Electronic Health Record (EHR) Implementation
Stage of Unfreezing
In order to increase patient safety and documentation accuracy, the clinical leadership determined during the unfreezing stage that an EHR system was required in place of paper-based records. Team discussions were used to address staff reluctance by outlining the advantages of EHR (such as quicker paperwork and simpler access to patient data). Staff members were given access to open forums and training sessions to boost their confidence and lessen their nervousness.
Transitional Phase
To give staff members time to adjust, the EHR system was introduced gradually in some areas during the transition phase. Superusers, who were trained employees acquainted with the new system, were on hand to offer assistance, solve issues, and mentor coworkers. Real-time feedback and practical instruction promoted participation and decreased mistakes during the shift.
Stage of Refreezing
The new EHR system was included into regular workflows during the refreezing phase. EHR use was covered in the amended policies, and compliance was guaranteed by ongoing performance evaluation. Ongoing training sessions were provided to strengthen competency, and staff members were invited to provide input for future improvements.
Assessment of the Implementation of Change
Did the Change Comply with the Procedures?
Lewin’s stages were successfully followed by the change in most cases. Because training was given priority and staff resistance was handled early, unfreezing was complete. While the refreezing stage guaranteed long-term adoption, the altering stage’s progressive rollout allowed for troubleshooting.
Was the Modification Successful?
In the end, the shift was effective because staff members became accustomed to the new EHR system, which increased documentation efficiency and decreased medical errors. However, the process was dragged down by early opposition and technical issues throughout the implementation phase.
Enhancements for a More Efficient Procedure
Improved Stakeholder Engagement: Frontline employees’ early participation in EHR system customisation and decision-making may have lessened opposition.
Extended trial Periods: Before a wider deployment, possible problems could have been found by implementing longer trial phases in smaller units.
Ongoing Support: Having specialised IT personnel on hand in the first several weeks following deployment would have eased technical obstacles and dissatisfaction.
Feedback Loops: Better user satisfaction and continuous improvements might have been guaranteed with more organised feedback systems during the refreezing phase.
In conclusion
An organised method for deploying the EHR system in the clinical setting was offered by Lewin’s Change Management Model. The approach was successful, but it might have been more seamless and effective with greater participation, technical help, and feedback gathering.
QUESTION
Research change theories from scholarly literature resources. Choose a change theory and correlate the steps of the theory to a change that has occurred in your clinical area.
- Did the change follow the steps well?
- Was the change made successfully?
- If it did not go smoothly, how would you have improved the process?