NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 3 Intervention Strategy

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX 5007 Leadership for Nursing Practice

Prof. Name

Date

Intervention Strategy

Healthcare remains an ever-evolving field, demanding that nursing leaders continuously adapt to meet challenges related to patient safety, quality care, and interprofessional collaboration (Flaubert et al., 2021a). At the 5 West medical–surgical unit, the newly appointed nurse manager, Sarah, encountered numerous leadership challenges despite ongoing efforts to enhance patient safety. Persistent issues such as patient falls and medication errors continue to negatively affect patient outcomes, highlighting the urgent need for a strategic intervention. This paper presents a comprehensive intervention plan aimed at reducing these recurring safety problems through leadership practice changes that promote a robust safety culture, standardized care, and improved staff interactions, aligning with assessment one’s goals. Drawing on current leadership literature and healthcare policies, the strategy employs transformational leadership theory to engage staff, reduce resistance, and foster a culture prioritizing safety.

Most Applicable Leadership Theory to Solve the Leadership Problem

Among various leadership models, transformational leadership stands out as the most relevant for addressing patient safety issues at 5 West. This theory emphasizes motivating and empowering team members to creatively solve problems and embrace change in pursuit of shared goals (Ystaas et al., 2023). At 5 West, the team—comprising physicians, veteran nurses, and recent hires—can benefit from a leader who articulates a clear vision, encourages open communication, and reduces blame culture. Sarah faces resistance from veteran staff like Ben, which makes transformational leadership particularly appropriate in promoting a safety-oriented environment where errors such as patient falls and medication mistakes are openly addressed.

The hallmark of transformational leadership lies in building staff trust and fostering acceptance of change to enhance patient care quality. Sarah can use this approach to cultivate a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility by implementing consistent protocols for fall prevention and medication reconciliation, which are currently disorganized and directly linked to patient risks. Transformational leadership encourages openness, reduces fear of punishment, and supports constructive reporting of near misses and errors (Ystaas et al., 2023).

The rationale behind this approach is its proven effectiveness in boosting team cohesion and cultivating proactive attitudes toward challenges. Within healthcare settings, teams led by transformational leaders can improve patient safety by addressing organizational issues such as resistance to change and routine interpersonal dynamics (Ystaas et al., 2023). This framework not only targets current problems but also equips the team to handle future challenges sustainably by empowering members with skills and authority.

Theory’s Applicability and Efficacy

Transformational leadership effectively addresses key issues in 5 West’s nursing leadership by targeting patient safety, team collaboration, and resistance to change. This theory engages staff on personal and professional levels, fostering a mindset shift that supports continuous improvement.

Problem Solving and Long-Term Management

Key safety concerns at 5 West include inadequate fall prevention measures and a flawed medication reconciliation process prone to errors. Transformational leadership enables Sarah to actively involve her team, including resistant members like Ben, in identifying safety problems and developing standardized, evidence-based protocols. For example, organizing collaborative meetings where staff share experiences and co-create fall-prevention guidelines can enhance buy-in. Including Dr. Chen in these sessions adds clinical credibility and helps address skepticism (Onaca & Fleshman, 2020). Such a supportive environment makes resistant staff feel valued and part of the solution.

Sustainability relies on shared accountability and a culture that emphasizes teamwork over punishment. Research suggests that a shared vision combined with support promotes acceptance of change, personal responsibility, and enhanced learning (Onaca & Fleshman, 2020). By involving Maya, who is keen on innovation, Sarah can introduce technology-driven interventions like computerized medication reconciliation, encouraging voluntary adoption of best practices. Ongoing communication and feedback loops enable timely problem resolution and reinforce new safety policies.

Transformational leadership has demonstrated success in healthcare environments facing resistance and safety challenges. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders inspired teams through shared vision and resilience-building, reducing burnout and improving outcomes (Ystaas et al., 2023). Similarly, Kiwanuka et al. (2020) found that transformational leadership in ICU settings improved patient outcomes, staff satisfaction, and safety compliance by fostering supportive teamwork and communication, whereas authoritarian leadership diminished morale. Applying these principles at 5 West, with the involvement of clinical and innovation leaders, can establish a proactive, high-standard care culture.

Organizational Change Model Influences an Intervention Strategy

Lewin’s Change Management Model offers a structured approach to enhance Sarah’s intervention by systematically guiding the team through change phases: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing (Stanz et al., 2021). This model supports the reduction of resistance and embedding of new safety practices within the unit’s culture.

Lewin’s Model Stage	Description	Application at 5 West
Unfreezing	Creating awareness of the need for change by challenging the current state	Sarah highlights variability in fall prevention and medication errors, using patient stories and data presented by Dr. Chen to illustrate risks and motivate change
Changing	Implementing new practices and behaviors	Introduction of digital medication reconciliation and standardized fall-prevention protocols, with Maya training staff on new tools to reduce resistance
Refreezing	Reinforcing and sustaining new behaviors	Regular meetings to monitor compliance, celebrate adherence, and incorporate leadership feedback with involvement from Dr. Chen and Maya

Throughout these stages, transformational leadership’s emphasis on encouragement and open communication reassures the team, fostering psychological safety and commitment to change (Onaca & Fleshman, 2020).

Health Care Policy and Legislation Affect

Several healthcare policies underpin Sarah’s efforts to enhance patient safety and leadership capacity in 5 West:

Policy/Law	Key Provisions	Relevance to 5 West Intervention
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA) (HHS, 2022)	Protects practitioners reporting safety incidents from litigation, promotes open reporting culture	Supports Sarah in reducing blame culture, encouraging staff to report near misses and safety concerns freely
Affordable Care Act (ACA) (Flaubert, 2021)	Encourages adoption of health IT and electronic health records	Justifies investment in computerized medication reconciliation systems, improving accuracy and efficiency
Nursing Workforce Development Act (NWDA) (Flaubert et al., 2021b)	Funds nursing education and leadership development	Provides resources for continuing education and leadership training, supporting sustainable safety improvements

By aligning the intervention with these policies, Sarah can mobilize institutional support and funding to achieve lasting change.

Conclusion

In summary, applying transformational leadership theory alongside Lewin’s Change Management Model offers Sarah an effective strategy to address patient safety challenges in the 5 West unit. Leveraging supportive healthcare policies such as PSQIA, ACA, and NWDA will enhance her capacity to build a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement. These combined strategies are poised to reduce patient falls and medication errors while ensuring sustainable positive outcomes in patient care.

References

Flaubert, J. (2021). The role of nurses in improving health care access and quality. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573910/

Flaubert, J. L., Menestrel, S. L., Williams, D. R., & Wakefield, M. K. (2021a). Nurses leading change. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573918/

NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 3 Intervention Strategy

Flaubert, J. L., Menestrel, S. L., Williams, D. R., & Wakefield, M. K. (2021b). The future of nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573922/

HHS. (2022). Understanding patient safety confidentiality. US Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/patient-safety/index.html

Kiwanuka, F., Nanyonga, R. C., Dankosky, N. S., Muwanguzi, P. A., & Kvist, T. (2020). Nursing leadership styles and their impact on intensive care unit quality measures: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(2), 133–142. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13151

Onaca, N., & Fleshman, J. W. (2020). Types of leadership and how to use them in surgical areas. Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery, 33(04), 228–232. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1709457

Stanz, L., Silverstein, S., Vo, D., & Thompson, J. (2021). Leading through rapid change management. Hospital Pharmacy, 57(4), 422–424. https://doi.org/10.1177/00185787211046855

NURS FPX 5007 Assessment 3 Intervention Strategy

Ystaas, L. M. K., Nikitara, M., Ghobrial, S., Latzourakis, E., Polychronis, G., & Constantinou, C. S. (2023). The impact of transformational leadership in the nursing work environment and patients’ outcomes: A systematic review. Nursing Reports, 13(3), 1271–1290. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep13030108