Continuing Education in Healthcare – Impact on Organizational Change and Performance
Explain the importance of continuing education regarding organizational change
A culture that encourages learning and development encourages employees to get better, which, in turn, makes the organization better in general. Without continuing education, healthcare organizations are unlikely to keep up with the changing dynamics of the world. As everything is changing, especially technology, healthcare is also changing tremendously to keep up with the trend. Continuing education is, therefore, useful in linking the gap between ideal care and contemporary care. When employees are satisfied with what they do, they also give their best. According to Price & Reichert (2017), continuing education is a cross-cutting theme across every phase of a career, and it also determines recruitment and retention. The work of satisfied nurses is generally reflected in the ultimate quality of patient care and boosts the reputation and sustainability of the organization. Our assignment writing services will allow you to attend to more important tasks as our experts handle your task. Get in touch with us at eminencepapers.com.
Explain the impact this policy change may have on the organizational behavior and organizational culture of the company (100–175 words).
Many authors have linked continuing education with a competitive advantage. They believe that progressive professional development boosts an organization’s competitive advantage (Mugisha, 2009). This means that the organization is likely to be functional on a sustainable scale. Continuing education, professional development, and training encourage the transition to practice when it comes to new graduates and students, and it also assists in ensuring quality and competency in patient care throughout the careers of nurses (Price & Reichert, 2017). In a study conducted by Price & Reichert (2017), nurses reported that the healthy work environments in the career stage were those that employed continuing education opportunities to maintain growth in the nursing career and optimal quality care for the patients. Thus, this policy serves as a commitment to quality patient care for a healthcare organization and also gives healthcare professionals a sense of career satisfaction as they see their growth in practice as well as in their ability to provide patient care that is deemed quality.
Explain barriers to change and how to address the barriers (100–175 words).
Sometimes, leaders overestimate how prosperous they have been already when it comes to change. Other times, they lose their patience and are concerned that employees would get defensive, lose their morale and that business would be chaotic as a result and the whole company in jeopardy. In such a case, leaders need to identify key areas that need change. For instance, if the target of change is the whole organization, the leader has to be the organization’s CEO, and if the division of the organization needs change, then the general manager is essential in this case (Kotter, 2007). This step can be less challenging if leaders of change are great leaders or champions of change. More importantly, a lack of strategy can lead to failure in the implementation of change. Therefore, strategic leadership is needed. This means that leaders of change in the organization have to empower others, have the flexibility and anticipate risks and opportunities as well as threats.
Another barrier to change is the employees’ negative attitudes towards change, possibly because of getting used to a status quo. To solve this, a change leader has to form a powerful coalition team. Gathering or assembling individuals and groups together with sufficient power to lead efforts of change is key to transforming an organization to change. Usually, a strategic leader would start by assembling the organization’s most senior executives because not everyone is likely to buy in. If the top executives are on board, the chances of having a powerful steering group for change are high. Moreover, the leader needs to encourage the group of individuals to work collaboratively as a team.
Explain how this change may affect individual job performance and job satisfaction
According to Warden, Mazmanian & Leach’s (2010) study, many novice nurses and students took supernumerary, mentoring, and orientation positions as their focus. The study found that early-career nurses started their careers when they were still deciding on their general professional goals in life. They believed that nursing would help them in whatever direction they sought, including provision for role portability in different geographic locations and settings. They identified that continuing education and training were valuable resources to help them prepare for the realities of practice like patient load as well as other clinical responsibilities. Aside from that, many nurses in their late careers or mid-careers perceived continuing education as an expertise investment that enhances their care for patients. Besides, challenges such as overtime, staff shortages, and exhaustion were found to be challenges that could be solved by managerial support (Mugisha, 2009). This managerial support involves ongoing education and training. If well-educated and trained nurses are more, then overtime would be reduced, as well as staff shortage and exhaustion. Therefore, nurses would be less stressed and would competently attend to the patients without worrying about quality and more patients in line. This also brings about a fulfilling feeling in their career, which motivates them to keep working towards providing quality patient care.
Explain a motivational strategy that might be used for implementation (100–175 words).
One of the major motivational strategies that may be used for implementation is employing Kotter’s eight stages of change. In the first phase of the creation of urgency, Kotter believes that the organization’s change leader has to create a sense of urgency so that every member of the organization may see why change is needed in the organization. In the second phase, the change leader has to form a guiding coalition, change cannot be led by a single individual but has to be directed and led by a strong team who have the belief that change will positively affect the organization. In the third phase, Kotter argues that successful change requires a guiding coalition that creates a vision, not just a mere vision but a vision with a strategy that will keep it from failing. Without a strategic vision, the change is bound to fail. The fourth phase is communicating the vision formulated with the rest of the team as part of the initiative. This is because employees perform their responsibilities and duties based on a guiding vision. Five, the change leaders have to empower others to adopt the change required. A transformative leader needs to remove every form of obstruction to change by altering structures or systems that undermine the vision seriously (Kotter, 2007). They also encourage actions, activities, and ideas that are nontraditional, as well as risk-taking actions. Six, they also need to plan and create medium-term wins. Such a step requires rewarding and recognizing employees for their improvement (Kotter, 2007). In the seventh phase, effective leaders need to utilize the credibility afforded by the medium-term gains to address even bigger issues (Kotter, 2007). They pay attention to the structures and systems that are inconsistent with the vision and have not been addressed before. Moreover, they do not stop paying attention to the ongoing changes, such as people who are hired, people who are promoted, and how individuals are developed. In the last phase, the leaders should anchor changes in the organization’s culture. They need to make a conscious effort to demonstrate to people how the new attitudes, behaviors, and strategies are instrumental in enhancing performance.
Explain how teams or groups could be used to implement this policy change. Include a review of two approaches managers can use to build team performance and two organizational barriers to team effectiveness
Leaders should share direction and a dream that other individuals want to follow and share, and their vision should be beyond the written company’s vision statement and mission statement. The vision in leadership permeates the work environment and is manifested in the goals, values, beliefs, and actions of a company’s leader (Sheldon, 2011). The vision affects and attracts every employee who is involved in living these goals, values, beliefs, and actions. In its application in workplaces, the vision has to clearly set the purpose and direction of the organization. It should also inspire caring and loyalty via the engagement of every employee. Finding a common or mutual direction can be a stronghold for a change. This vision should reflect and display the unique beliefs, values, culture, strengths, and direction of the company; inspire excitement, commitment, belief, and enthusiasm among members of the company; and help workers feel that they are part of a bigger thing than themselves and their day-to-day activities (Heathfield, 2018).
Identify communication methods to be used to support this policy change implementation
This policy can be communicated effectively through groups and a strong guiding coalition of teams. In this case, seminars and meetings can be held so that both employees and the guiding coalition can deliberate on the need for change and work together toward implementing it. Moreover, briefs and reports need to be established so that everyone is on the same page to reduce miscommunication and conflicts.
References
Heathfield, S.M. (2018). Leadership Vision: You Can’t Be a Real Leader who People want to Follow without Vision. Retrieved 3/8/2021 from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/leadership-vision-1918616
Kotter, J. (2007). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 3(37), 42-48.
Mugisha, F. J. (2009). Interaction of continuing professional development, organizational culture, and performance in health service organizations.
Price, S., & Reichert, C. (2017). The importance of continuing professional development to career satisfaction and patient care: meeting the needs of novice to mid-to late-career nurses throughout their career span. Administrative Sciences, 7(2), 17.
Warden, G. L., Mazmanian, P. E., & Leach, D. C. (2010). Redesigning continuing education in the health professions. Committee on Planning a Continuing Health Professional Education Institute and Institute of Medicine, ed.). Natl Academy Pr, 276-297.
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Question
Continuing Education in Healthcare – Impact on Organizational Change and Performance
Read the following scenario to complete this assignment.
The healthcare industry, like other industries, is a very competitive environment. As organizational behavior within healthcare companies evolves, it will be even more important to consider the future use of learning about/applying concepts of organizational behavior and the need for continuing education.
After a productive year with the medical waste management company, Justin has now been tasked with implementing a company-wide policy change to require continuing education. Each employee will now be required to complete 2 hours of continuing education each year. Justin’s supervisor has asked for an analysis and plan for the implementation of this company-wide change. This analysis will be presented to company leadership as a tool for understanding and implementing this change.
Answer the following prompts.
Cite 2 reputable references. Reputable references include trade or industry publications; government or agency websites; scholarly works; your textbook, Organizational Behavior in Health Care (4th ed.); or other sources of similar quality.
Format your references according to APA guidelines.
- Explain the importance of continuing education regarding organizational change (100–175 words).
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- Explain the impact this policy change may have on the organizational behavior and organizational culture of the company (100–175 words).
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- Explain barriers to change and how to address the barriers (100–175 words).
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- Explain how this change may affect individual job performance and job satisfaction (100–175 words).
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- Explain a motivational strategy that might be used for implementation (100–175 words).
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- Explain how teams or groups could be used to implement this policy change. Include a review of two approaches managers can use to build team performance and two organizational barriers to team effectiveness (100–175 words).
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- Identify communication methods to be used to support this policy change implementation (45–90 words).
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