Introduction
Change is one of the key strategies used in hospitals to improve healthcare services. Stakeholders responsible for the change need to get updated with the emerging trends in global health. Through this, the hospital can set its standards up to the international level (Agyei-Baffour et al., 2020). For instance, when there is a major problem like the outbreak of a certain disease, the transformation will help in establishing ways in which the pandemic can be managed hence providing a sustainable solution. Global health has made several transformations to ensure that all patients receive quality services.
In the healthcare system, communication involves the aspect of a nurse approaching the patient and interacting with them to understand their needs, concerns, opinions, and experiences. Hospitals that have established good communication between the patients and the nurses have the highest probability of scoring high in the sustainability score (Rosenwohl-Mack et al., 2020). With the recent trends, health IT plays a crucial role in enhancing telecommunication between nurses and patients in hospitals (Agyei-Baffour et al., 2020). Therefore, the hospital will install devices that allow the doctors and nurses to communicate with the patients virtually, even when they are not in the same room (Minton et al., 2019). A new communication strategy can be initiated through Lippitt’s model theory in nursing. The model involves the aspect of bringing in an external change agent when planning for the new strategy. Lippitt’s phases change model provides steps to initiate change in an organization.
Purpose Statement
In the case scenario, it is evident that there is poor communication between patients and nurses, leading to unsustainable scores. Change is vital in healthcare institutions as much as nurses’ duties are concerned. Good communication in the hospital contributes to the provision of better services (Minton et al., 2019). Therefore, nurses are responsible for initiating change to ensure that patients and other customers are satisfied with the services provided. Lippitt’s phases of change model are commonly used by nurses when there is a change in an organization. Studies show that most of the institutions which adopt Lippittt’s model are likely to meet their objective successfully (Rosenwohl-Mack et al., 2020). In this paper, the researcher will demonstrate how Lippitt’s phases of change theory can be used when transforming communication between nurses and patients. The research paper will specifically focus on using telehealth as a new communication strategy in the hospital. The paper will also focus on analyzing and evaluating the model, demonstrating leadership used when initiating the change, and evaluating how to manage new change in the different healthcare institutions.
Change Model/Theory
The most appropriate change model that can be used to enhance easy transformation in the hospital is Lippitt’s phases of change theory. The theory has seven steps that guide stakeholders when making new changes (Lestishock et al., 2021). As the nurse leader initiating the change, one has to diagnose the problem, which is, in this case, poor communication between the nurses and the patients. The need for change will then be addressed to other stakeholders in the hospital. In the second step, the change leader identifies stakeholders willing and ready to initiate change. This motivates the leader as they will provide alternative decisions that help implement new communication strategies. In the third step of the model, one is in a position to determine whether the change agent is experienced enough to deliver the executed change in the hospital.
The change leader must cooperate with nurses and other organizational stakeholders to ensure that the new communication strategy is well executed and implemented. In the fourth step of the model, the change leader formulates a plan, timeframe, and allocation of duties to people involved in the formulation of the new strategy (McDougal Ronconi, 2021). Lippitt’s model also helps in defining the role of the change leader. Through this, the project team can mitigate instances of resistance and misunderstandings. Furthermore, the model helps in formulating strategies that can be effectively used in managing the change. The change agent will have to communicate with the project committee on how funds can be allocated to enhance the going concern of the new strategy in hospital communication. In the last step, the project management team will have to make the new communication strategy permanent and release the external change agent.
The Rationale of the Change Model
Lippitt’s phases of change model are crucial when transforming hospital communication systems. Studies show that nurses in different institutions have transformed their operations and service provision to patients due to adopting the model. The seven steps used by the model allow the change leader to cover all the key areas and stakeholders involved in implementing a new communication strategy. In this case, the model plays a vital role in identifying the communication problem between the nurses and patients in the healthcare facilities. Patients are not satisfied with the services provided by nurses due to poor communication (Abernathy, 2022b). The model is also significant as it will help in creating a good relationship between the stakeholders in the communication department, the nurses, and the patients, and this is vital when initiating a new strategy in the healthcare industry.
How the Model Guides the Implementation Process?
Change is inevitable in the organization; therefore, the healthcare sector should always anticipate new ideas and transformation. Technological advancement requires doctors, nurses, and other stakeholders to embrace new technology in their daily operations. When implementing the new communication strategy, it should be noted that several departments will be affected (Lichter et al., 2022). Departments involved when changing communication strategy in the hospital comprise the information and technology department, finance, human resource, the nurses, doctors, patients, and their families. There is a higher probability of change resistance in the organization hence the need to identify strategies involved in managing resistance. Effective strategies must be implemented to ensure that resistance is managed to enhance the easy implementation of the new communication system.
Lippitt’s phases of change model provide measures that can be useful in minimizing resistance. The model involves all the stakeholders from different departments in formulating and executing the new change (Wiggins, 2022). All departments in the hospital will be informed of the need for the new change by defining communication problems between the nurses and the patients. Communicating with other departments about the new change will help in stabilizing staff hence reducing levels of resistance. When employees accept the change, the change leader finds it easy to execute new communication ideas.
Equity Issues Related to Change
Healthcare facilities are highly affected by equity issues as it influences the staff’s perspective toward the new change. Al stakeholders in the hospital must be treated with care when initiating a new communication strategy. For instance, all staff members must be informed about the problem between patients and nurses and the need to formulate a new strategy. The equity issues during the transition are financial issues, ICT, marketing, and human resource. Like in other organizations, the hospital has a finance department that must be informed in advance in case of any change to funding the project. Furthermore, it is more equitable to involve other departments in the implementation process. The Lippitt’s allows all the stakeholders to take part in the strategy implementation process hence making it possible for the finance department to play their budgeting role on time.
Leadership
Complexity Leadership Skills Needed for the Change Initiative
Leadership is a sensitive area when there is a change in the organization. The complex leadership skills effectively recognize the dynamic interactions within the healthcare institutions (Belrhiti et al., 2018). As the project/ change leader, one needs to have leadership skills to ensure that the new communication strategy is implemented effectively in the hospital. The second role of the leader is to initiate collaboration of the new change by bringing nurses, doctors, and other stakeholders together and planning how to execute the new change (Tourish, 2018). Furthermore, successful leaders ought to commit to the new change by ensuring that their ideas are fully executed and absorbed by other people in the organization.
Style
The transformational leadership style is effective when implementing new communication changes in the hospital. The style involves developing the vision and communicating the expected goal to other employees (Kaifi et al., 2021). Some of the qualities of a transformational leader comprise understanding the needs for change, encouraging participation, loyalty, personal integrity, and being able to inspire other stakeholders. Teams working under a transformational leadership style are united hence making it possible for the implementation of the telehealth communication strategy. Nurses, patients, and other workers will be willing to collaborate with the new change in the hospital when using a transformational leadership style.
Engagement
For a successful change to take place, the leader must have the skills to engage other people in the execution of the new change. High employee engagement in change leads to positive organizational results (Reinhardt et al., 2022). The level of staff engagement when formulating a new communication strategy will ensure that the ideas of every person in the hospital are considered when implementing the new strategy. However, when many people are involved in the change, a lot of time may be taken when brainstorming hence leading to delayed change implementation.
Identifying Team Members and Leadership Delegation
The project team members need to be identified by the project leader. Communication is one of the best leadership strategies leaders use when they want to identify new members for the project implementation team. The team members can be recruited from the nurses, patient representatives, and the hospital’s management (Dudley et al., 2020). However, it is wise for the team leader to minimize the number of team members when they want to reach the goal faster. Delegation is one of the best skills that the change leader can use to enhance the easy implementation of the new strategy. In other scenarios, the change leader may not delegate the leadership role as this may lead to wasting time and resources.
Evaluation
It should be noted that change is difficult, and it takes time for the executed strategy to be absorbed by the organization. A change management process will be needed to ensure that the new communication strategy is aligned with the hospital’s goals of satisfying the patients (Barrow & Toney-Butler, 2021). The evaluation process will highly rely on Lippitt’s phases of change model, which ensures that all the stakeholders are involved in the execution of the change (Wiggins, 2022b). When evaluating the new change, the objectives of the new strategy are identified, which is the satisfaction of the patients. When heading into a communication transition, objectives of fulfilling the patient’s desires must produce measurable and positive results.
The collection of data from the employees, patients, nurses, and other stakeholders helps in determining the feedback about the new communication strategy in the organization. The success of the new change can be determined through interviews, questionnaires, and surveys (Bagheri et al., 2018). The data collection tools are effective in identifying the gaps which can be filled to ensure that the new communication strategy perfectly fits into the system. However, the change leader should not always rely on questionnaires as some feedback can be manipulated. Alternatively, observation as a data collection tool is used in determining the impact of a new communication strategy on patients.
Summary
Healthcare institutions have to be transformed in terms of for them to provide good services to the patients. Good communication between the nurses and the patients results in the enhancement of sustainability goals in the hospital. The scenario used in this paper shows poor communication between the nurses and the patients. Therefore, a transition in the communication strategies used in the healthcare facilities is put in place. The paper focused on the implementation of the new communication strategy, which can help in enhancing efficiency in hospitals. Lippitt’s phases of change model/ theory help in the formulation and execution of the new communication strategy. The model allows the change leader to communicate with other stakeholders and share the need for a new change in the hospital. Furthermore, the transformational leadership style allows people within the hospital to cooperate to improve healthcare services.
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