Change Leadership in Nursing: Implementing an Electronic Medication System

This essay explores the advantages of proper leadership in implementing an electronic medication system in healthcare organizations. It applies Lewin's model to propose a plan for change and evaluates leadership styles useful in implementing change in healthcare systems.

Running head: CHANGE LEADERSHIP IN NURSING 1
TOPIC: Change leadership A Electronic Medication System
NAME:
DATE:

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Introduction
Healthcare organizations require effective leadership to achieve health care objectives.
Midwives, Nurses, and other health professionals’ leaders should possess relevant leadership
skills to transform their workplace to achieve predetermined objectives (Rankin, Russell,
Matthews, & Pollard, 2017). Hospital set-ups also require an organizational change to improve
their quality of care delivery. Proper transition enhances the safety of patients; hence lengthening
their lives. Therefore, hospital issues such as medication errors decrease when appropriate
measures are in place. This essay will explore the advantages of proper leadership in a bid to
bring changes to health facilities concerning the clinical scenario. The write-up will also
elaborate the essence of the electronic system in the hospital. The paper will apply Lewin's
model to propose a plan for change. The essay will also use and evaluate the leadership styles
that are useful in implementing change in the healthcare systems. Finally, the paper will discuss
the potential resistance and measures to overcome the barriers to implementing change in the
care system.
Benefits of Electronic Medication System
The system of electronic medication has several advantages over the manual method that
results in numerous medication errors. In the case scenario, the two hundred bed hospital has
been experiencing increased medication mistakes over the last three years. The government has
invented the electronic medication system that seeks to solve the clinical problem. The new
system benefits the nurses, patients, and the health organizations. The system relieves the
caregivers of the medication errors; thus making them enjoy their practice (Magrabi et al., 2015).
A reduction in the number of medication mistakes improves the health of the patients. The

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reputation of the health organization improves with a proper implementation of the electronic
system. Therefore, the hospital should incorporate the new system in its operations.
Lewin’s Change Model
The model has three phases that guide caregivers to undergo a successful process of
change. The steps are unfreezing, change, and the refreezing stage. Unfreezing is the initial step
of transition and involves reading the institution for the inevitable process of development. The
level requires the healthcare leader to explain the reasons for abandoning the manual system for
the electronic system (Cummings, Bridgman, & Brown, 2016). In the case scenario, unfreezing
requires the leader to introduce the new system by explaining the essence of the latest
developments in a meeting. The administrator should read out the medication error statistics at
the meetings. The leader should conclude the gathering by explaining the advantages of the
electronic system over the manual medication process. The unfreezing step can take
approximately ten weeks.
The second step in the Lewin's model is the phase of change. In this stage, the employees
seek clarifications on the new system start applying the changes. The period also transforms the
beliefs of employees as they start to support the transition (Wojciechowski, Murphy, Pearsall, &
French, 2016). In the case scenario, the caregivers seek advanced knowledge of the electronic
system of medication. Furthermore, the nurses begin to abandon the manual medication system
for the new system. The process takes a long time, and the hospital manager should allow
adequate time for the employees to adopt the new policy. However, the leader must explain the
benefits of the electronic system to the patients, caregivers, and the entire health organization.
The phase of change is a bit challenging and can take twelve weeks.

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The last phase of the model is the refreezing stage. This final stage of change involves the
implementation and application of the new methods of working (Manchester et al., 2014). In the
case scenario, the step comprises the full implementation of the electronic system in care. The
health facility should include the changes in the Organization's values and culture. Moreover, the
electronic system should exist in the job description of the nurses and other healthcare
professionals. The refreezing phase should assist the employees and the institution to internalize
the changes. The hospital administrator should ensure that the caregivers apply the changes at
any point of medication. The stability of the firm makes the staff feel comfortable and confident
with the electronic system. The refreezing stage can take six weeks.
Nursing Leadership Styles
The implementation of the changes requires the caregivers to possess appropriate
leadership styles. Transformational leadership is where the leader collaborates with the teams to
implement changes in a given organization (Cheng, Bartram, Karimi, & Leggat, 2016). The style
seeks the opinion of every employee before making critical decisions in an organization. In the
case scenario, the hospital administrator should allow the caregivers to offer their views on the
electronic system before its implementation. The leadership style boosts the morale of the staff
members and motivates them in their line of duty. Additionally, companies that apply
transformational leadership always register an improvement in the performance of the
employees. A transformative leader is a role model to the workers; thus acting as a source of
motivation. Therefore, the style is appropriate for implementing changes.
Apart from the transformative leadership, autocratic style is also useful in the
implementation of changes in organizations. Authoritarian leadership is essential in firms that
require error-free results (Cope, & Murray, 2017). The style involves the leader making

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important decisions on behalf of the employees. In the case scenario, the leadership style would
include the leader forcing the nurses to adopt the electronic system without adequate
explanations. Autocratic style is applicable in instances where an institution needs to make quick
decisions. The process of allowing employees to contribute to the decision-making phase can be
time-consuming; thus authoritarian style can apply to such scenarios. Organizations that employ
autocratic leadership styles have rigid work schedules and routines. Therefore, authoritarian
leadership is an alternative for transformative leadership style in the process of implementing
changes.
Transformational style has numerous advantages over autocratic leadership in the process
of change implementation. Authoritarian leadership lowers the morale of employees; thus
reducing their productivity (Paterson, Henderson, & Burmeister, 2015). On the other hand,
Transformational leadership motivates workers and brings out the best performance from them
(Ward, 2017). In the case scenario, employees should offer their opinions on the electronic
system before its implementation. The transformational style also considers the concerns of the
workers before introducing any changes. The application of the electronic system is a new idea
that caregivers have a lot of questions about it. Therefore, the leader should welcome the
concerns and address them appropriately. Autocratic leadership infringes on the rights of
employees and might result in numerous industrial unrests. Therefore, healthcare leaders should
apply transformational leadership style over the authoritarian style.
Resistance to Change and Possible Remedies
The two potential factors that can resist the planned change are inadequate time for
adjustment and little training. Adequate time is necessary for the unfreezing, change, and the
refreezing stages of the Lewin's model (Al-Haddad, & Kotnour, 2015). Additionally, inadequate

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knowledge and training on the electronic system can prevent the process of transition. Therefore,
the health facility should explore appropriate measures that can solve the resistance to ensure a
smooth transition. The health institution should allocate adequate time for the three steps of the
change model. Additionally, the organization should offer sufficient training to boost the
employee's understanding of the new system.
Conclusion
Health Organizations require effective leadership to improve the quality of service at the
hospitals. The adoption of the electronic system reduces medication errors at the two hundred
bed health facility and other health organizations. The reduction in medication errors improves
the safety of the patients and elevates the reputation of the health organization. The Lewin's
model of change is useful in implementing transition in institutions. The steps of the model
include unfreezing, change, and the refreezing phases. Transformational leadership style is
essential in bringing the necessary change in an organization. However, autocratic style is also
applicable but less useful than a transformational method. Inadequate training and time are
possible resistance to change.

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