Initiating Change

Rebecca is the manager of an Intermediate Care Unit of a major urban hospital. Administration has informed Rebecca that there are going to be some major changes on the unit. Studies have shown that, instead of centralized nursing stations, small modules between patient rooms are more effective. This brings the nurses closer to the patients. Rebecca was part of a management task force that visited hospitals with this type of structure, and, together, the task force decided on the particular floor plan.The remodeling will only take one month, and Rebecca wants to be sure the staff is ready for this change. She knows there will be resistance, and she wants to be able to handle that.

Discuss this case and the following issues:

1-How would you introduce this prospective change to your staff?

2-What change theory would you apply to help you?

3-What trust- building behaviors might help you? (From The Speed of Trust)

4-How would you handle a staff member that was spreading negativity? (Consider your style of conflict resolution.)

Your response should consist of complete sentences and should be at least one complete paragraph, but it should be no more than three paragraphs in length