NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4005 Nursing Leadership: Focusing on People, Processes, and Organizations

Prof. Name

Date

Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal

This proposal addresses improper patient handoff during critical care at Riverview Medical Center. Ineffective communication during handoffs leads to information gaps, which can result in avoidable medical mistakes and compromised patient safety (Desmedt et al., 2021). This plan introduces an interprofessional team approach aimed at standardizing handoff procedures, improving communication rules and safeguarding continuity of care.

Objective

This plan will implement a team approach to address communication gaps during critical care handoffs. By standardizing handoff protocols, enhancing real-time communication tools and providing targeted training, the initiative aims to ensure accurate and timely information transfer. Achieving this aim will improve organizational outcomes by reducing errors. It enhances team accountability and strengthens continuity of care. 

Questions and Predictions

How will implementing interdisciplinary teams impact the efficiency of patient handoffs during critical care transitions?

Initially, establishing interdisciplinary support teams for patient handoffs may require additional coordination time. However, enhanced communication will lead to more accurate, efficient handoffs preventing delays.

What resources are required to strengthen communication during critical care handoffs?

Resources include uniform handoff rules, communication workshops, tools like Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR), and electronic record integration. Collaborating with clinicians and IT staff ensures reliable data transfer during handoffs.

How will standardized handoff protocols enhance communication and reduce errors during critical care transitions?

Standardized handoff protocols will ensure clear, consistent provider data exchange, minimizing misunderstandings. This will reduce errors and enhance patient safety.

What are the key measures to evaluate the plan’s success?

Success will be measured through regular audits, surveys, and safety indicators focusing on handoff communication, medical errors and teamwork. SBAR compliance and incident reports will track communication and error rates. TeamSTEPPS tools will assess collaboration, with monthly reviews supporting continuous improvement (Hassan et al., 2024). 

Change Theories and Leadership Strategies

Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory

Kurt Lewin’s Change Management Model offers a clear outline for enhancing handoff communication at Riverview Medical Center through its three stages: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing (Silvola et al., 2024). In the unfreezing phase, leadership can raise awareness about the risks of poor communication during patient handovers. It creates urgency and prepares staff for change. During the changing stage, interdisciplinary teams can implement structured communication tools such as SBAR, I-PASS, and checklists to standardize the handoff process.

Finally, the refreezing stage integrates these communication practices into routine workflows through ongoing staff training, performance monitoring, and leadership reinforcement. This model supports sustainable change by promoting staff engagement, improving collaboration, and ensuring consistent patient care. A real-world example was seen at Boston Children’s Hospital, where Lewin’s model was applied to implement the I-PASS handoff protocol. The hospital improved the quality and consistency of its handoffs, reducing medical errors (Shahian, 2021). 

Transformational Leadership Strategy

Transformational leadership (TL) improves patient handoff communication at Riverview Medical Center by fostering collaboration, accountability, and a joint obligation to patient safety (Deveaux et al., 2021). Nurse and physician leaders can apply individualized consideration to support staff during the transition to standardized handoff practices such as SBAR and I-PASS. Inspirational motivation helps communicate a clear vision for reducing communication errors and promoting consistent, quality handovers. Leaders empower interdisciplinary teams to identify communication gaps and co-develop innovative solutions by encouraging intellectual stimulation. TL empowers staff to identify communication barriers, participate in developing standardized solutions, and remain engaged in improvement efforts.

TL builds trust, fosters open dialogue and strengthens teamwork. It is essential for improving handoff procedures. Riverview Medical Center’s leadership approach can create a culture that values learning. It enhances both staff performance and patient outcomes. An example of TL improving handoff communication is seen at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where leaders used TL principles to apply standardized tools like SBAR. It results in communication and reduces sentinel events (Sluder & Gillespie, 2024). Leaders fostered a culture of safety through ongoing support and staff engagement.

Team Collaboration Strategy

At Riverview Medical Center, the interdisciplinary team focused on improving handoff communication. The team includes nurse managers, bedside nurses, communication specialists, and hospital administrators. Nurse managers will oversee the implementation of standardized handoff protocols, monitor staff compliance, and ensure consistent training. Hassan et al. (2024) state that TeamSTEPPS promotes proven cooperation strategies developed for health care settings. It comprises boosting communication, clarifying team tasks, and increasing mutual assistance for efficient teamwork.

Bedside nurses will provide input on the efficiency of handoff tools and participate in role-playing exercises to enhance communication skills. Communication specialists will assist in refining handoff procedures and conducting workshops to reinforce clear, concise patient information exchanges. Finally, executing digital handover systems promotes speedy interdisciplinary sharing of patient data that is immediately accessible to all healthcare providers, improving communication (Desmedt et al., 2021). Hospital administrators will regularly assess the impact of these changes, reviewing patient outcomes and conducting surveys to ensure the sustainability and success of the handoff process.

Riverview Medical Center’s collaboration approach will implement SBAR and I-PASS for standardized communication to enhance coping strategies. SBAR will improve clarity during patient handovers. It ensures accurate and effective information exchange between nurses, physicians, and other staff (Patel et al., 2024). These approaches foster open communication, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, and align team members toward common goals. 

Required Organizational Resources

The plan to improve handoff communication at Riverview Medical Center requires resources for execution. Staffing includes nurse managers, communication specialists, and hospital administrators who will dedicate time to oversee handoff measures, provide training, and evaluate outcomes. Existing sources such as meeting rooms, communication platforms, and digital tools can support SBAR training and execution. Extra expenses may involve hiring external communication consultants ($100–$150 per session) and offering staff workshops on handoff practices ($500–$1,000 annually). Access to records, shift schedules, and handoff audit data is vital but does not require extra cost. The projected financial impact includes staff time for training, meetings and data review, with an estimated annual fee of $10,000–$15,000.

If the plan to improve handoff communication at Riverview Medical Center is not executed, communication gaps may persist. This leads to increased patient safety risks and errors. Poor handoffs can contribute to care delays and incomplete care transitions, resulting in legal charges and regulatory penalties (Keebler et al., 2022). Communication gaps during handoffs can lead to staff frustration as critical patient data may be lost. This communication gap leads to higher turnover rates among staff. The resulting disruptions in team dynamics escalate recruitment and training costs while weakening morale. Poor handoff practices compromise patient satisfaction by causing inconsistent and unsafe care, damaging the hospital’s reputation.

Conclusion

Executing an interdisciplinary plan to improve handoff communication at Riverview Medical Center is crucial for enhancing patient safety, minimizing errors, and ensuring continuity of care. The proposal encourages collaboration and continuous perfection by utilizing standardized communication tools such as SBAR and I-PASS, supported by Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory and TL strategies. The active involvement of an interdisciplinary team, targeted training, and digital integration will help sustain the initiative and measure its success. 

References

Desmedt, M., Ulenaers, D., Grosemans, J., Hellings, J., & Bergs, J. (2021). Clinical handover and handoff in healthcare: A systematic review of systematic reviews. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzaa170

Deveaux, D., Kaplan, S., Gabble, L., & Mansfield, L. (2021). Transformational leadership meets innovative strategy: How nurse leaders and clinical nurses redesigned bedside handover to improve nursing practice. Nurse Leader, 20(3), 290–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2021.10.010

NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Hassan, A. E., Mohammed, F. A., Zakaria, A. M., & Ibrahim, I. A. (2024). Evaluating the effect of teamstepps on teamwork perceptions and patient safety culture among newly graduated nurses. BioMed Central Nursing, 23(1), 170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01850-y

Keebler, J. R., Lazzara, E., Griggs, A., Tannenbaum, S., Fernandez, R., Greilich, P., & Salas, E. (2022). Holistic strategy for promoting effective handoffs. BMJ Leader. https://doi.org/10.1136/leader-2022-000639

Patel, S. M., Fuller, S., Michael, M. M., O’Hagan, E. C., Lazzara, E. H., & Riesenberg, L. A. (2024). Handoff mnemonics used in perioperative handoff intervention studies: A systematic review. Anesthesia & Analgesia. https://doi.org/10.1213/ane.0000000000007261

Shahian, D. (2021). I-PASS handover system: A decade of evidence demands action. BMJ Quality & Safety, 30, bmjqs-2021-013314. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2021-013314

Silvola, S., Restelli, U., Croce, D., & Basu, D. (2024). Change management for services redesign in healthcare: A conceptual framework. PubMed, 65(3), E410–E433. https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2024.65.3.3023

NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Sluder, A., & Gillespie, G. (2024). A quality improvement study to improve patient and family satisfaction through handoff of patient care between emergency department and inpatient nurses. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 15(3), 33–33. https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v15n3p33