Introduction
Patient satisfaction is considered to be among the main determinants of care quality. Nurse communication is a significant factor contributing to the decline in patient satisfaction. Furthermore, communication issues can lead to medical errors and impaired treatment outcomes.
According to Pierce and Dietz (2013), the process of patient handoff poses a risk of ineffective communication. In order to avoid further decline in patient satisfaction, as well as to reduce the incidence of medical errors, it would be useful for the organization to consider bedside reporting. Bedside reporting can help to promote effective communication between nurses and patients, thus enhancing care quality and patient satisfaction (Fraizer & Garrison, 2014). This report aims to provide an overview of the change process and a plan for the implementation of bedside reporting.
Key Stakeholders
The key stakeholders of the proposed change are nurses and patients. Nurses will have to conform to the new reporting requirements and ensure adherence to the bedside reporting scheme. Patients, on the other hand, will benefit from increased involvement in care and quality of service. The patients will also have more involvement in their choice of treatment and care services. The management and leaders of the organization are also among the stakeholders of the project, as bedside reporting would promote a higher efficiency of nursing staff and minimize medical errors, thus reducing the risk of legal action. Finally, the nursing research community could also benefit from the project if the implementation process and experience is appropriately discussed and shared via academic channels.
Possible Challenges
Ethical Challenges
Bedside reporting is considered to be a relatively positive practice when it comes to ethics, as it leads to enhanced care results in the long term. However, one of a few ethical challenges that might arise during the implementation process is that nurses will require more time to complete the handoff. This, in turn, might lead to overtime work and cause dissatisfaction among nurses, impairing the positive impact of the practice. Furthermore, increased involvement of the patient in medical care might pose ethical challenges, especially when nurses are caring for culturally diverse patient groups. For instance, patients might disagree with the nurse’s recommendations or initiate conflicts, which will have an adverse on nurse’s perception of change and care quality.
Practical Challenges
Nurses will face the need to alter their reporting scheme, which might increase the time they spend on the handoff. This might cause some resistance, as nurses might not want to spend additional time at work after the end of their shift. Moreover, nurses who are not familiar with bedside reporting might need additional training to ensure that they would be able to fulfill the requirements efficiently.
Anticipated Results
Several previous studies on bedside reporting indicated observed results of the change. First, Sand-Jecklin and Sherman (2013) identified that bedside shift reporting was associated with increased patient satisfaction and involvement in care. Moreover, the study found enhanced nurse perception of accountability and reduced the incidence of medication errors and patient falls (Sand-Jecklin & Sherman, 2013).
Similarly, Wakefield, Ragan, Brandt, and Tregnago (2012) indicated that the transition to bedside reporting resulted in the increase of nurse-specific patient satisfaction scores. Overall, the key benchmark that the change will improve is patient satisfaction with care. There are also other potential results that could result from the practice, including improved communication, enhanced patient-centered care, and reduced burnout.
Change Plan
The present change plan is based on Rogers change theory, as explained by Mitchell (2013). According to the change model, the change consists of five main stages: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. (Mitchell, 2013). Therefore, the following plan was developed for the implementation.
- Assess current handoff schemes and determine specific issues;
- Introduce nurses of the facility to the change that is being considered;
- Evaluate nurses’ perception of the change and its possible effects;
- Apply the change in one particular unit or department to observe effects;
- If the trial proves to be useful, adopt the change throughout the facility;
- Provide required training and guidance to nurses;
- Monitor patient satisfaction and nurse perception of the change on a regular basis to determine any issues.
The plan conforms to Florida Hospital mission, which is “To extend the healing ministry of Christ” (Florida Hospital Nursing, n.d., para. 1). The transition would help nurses to improve patient satisfaction with care and to avoid errors, which will result in better treatment outcomes. The plan is also relevant to Florida Hospital values, as it promotes excellence, teamwork, and stewardship by enhancing communication and care quality.
Lastly, the plan contributes to the hospital’s vision, which is “To be a global pacesetter delivering pre-eminent faith-based health care” (Florida Hospital Nursing, n.d., para. 2). By improving treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction with the help of bedside reporting, nurses will be able to achieve excellent results.
Conclusion
Overall, bedside reporting will most likely be useful in addressing the problem of declining patient satisfaction. Bedside reporting would help to improve patients’ perception of care and reduce the incidence of medication errors, thus contributing to a better quality of service.
The proposed plan conforms to the organization’s vision, mission, and values, which proves its suitability for the facility. In order to ensure that bedside reporting can be applied to diverse populations, it is crucial for nurses to have knowledge of transnational nursing and to consult the patient before prescribing any treatment or procedures to avoid cultural of religious conflict..
References
Florida Hospital Nursing. (n.d.). Mission, vision & values. Web.
Frazier, J. A., & Garrison, W. (2014). Addressing perceptions of bedside reporting for successful adoption. Nurse Leader, 12(2), 70-74.
Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change. Nursing Management-UK, 20(1), 32-37.
Pierce, J., & Dietz, J. (2013). Bedside handoff: Enhancing the patient experience. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 42(1), 64-65.
Sand-Jecklin, K., & Sherman, J. (2013). Incorporating bedside report into nursing handoff: Evaluation of change in practice. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 28(2), 186-194.
Wakefield, D. S., Ragan, R., Brandt, J., & Tregnago, M. (2012). Making the transition to nursing bedside shift reports. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 38(6), 243-253.