Clinical Leadership: Importance of Computerized Medication System

This paper analyzes the essence of excellent leadership based on a precise clinical scenario. It also validates the importance of adopting a medical system that is computerized. A change plan is recommended based on the Lewin's model. Probable opposition to the change plan and how it might be mitigated is analyzed.

Running head: CLINICAL LEADERSHIP 1
Clinical Leadership
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

CLINICAL LEADERSHIP 2
Clinical Leadership
Introduction
Leadership is imperative in any healthcare setting. Appropriate nursing leadership skills
ensure that medical services provided to patients are timely, patient-specific and accurate. This
paper analyses the essence of excellent leadership based on a precise clinical scenario. It also
validates the importance of adopting a medical system that is computerized. A change plan is
recommended based on the Lewin's model. Consequently, the change plan is effectively
implemented and an examination of a suitable leadership style is done. Probable opposition to
the change plan and how it might be mitigated is analyzed.
Body
A completely electronic medication system is key in any healthcare setting. Foremost, in
the 200-bed health facility, there have been several medical critical occurrences. These crucial
instances occur due to the rise of negligible medication errors. The wholly computerized system
is imperative to the health organization. Its adoption would reduce these minor medication
mistakes. Patients that receive enhanced health care refer others to the same medical facility.
Therefore, the leadership of the hospital will be credited for outstanding management skills by
incorporating the system into their health facility. The management can also evaluate the
effectiveness of their staffs' ability to adapt to contemporary transformations (Westbrook et al.,
2013). It is vital in analyzing their medical staffs' performance, therefore, conduct job appraisals.
In the same token, the new electronic system would improve the efficiency of the medical
practitioners particularly the midwives. The nurses will be able to discharge their duties faster.
Specifically, the medical professionals will take less time to prescribe different medications
according to patient needs (Checchi et al., 2014). Midwives would also conduct medication

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administration swiftly. They can achieve this through the use of a computer as opposed to the
manual system, for instance, the use of paper medication plans and charts.
Patients would receive improved medical care due to the computerized system. The
nurses of the 200-bed hospital will be motivated to work because they are now able to deliver
clinical services accurately. On account of the new system, it will trigger the attainment of zero
or minimal medical errors. Therefore, the fully computerized system is beneficial to nurses, the
health organization and patients.
Change is inevitable in all health organizations. Lewin's model entails three clear steps
that have to be followed for effective transformation to be achieved. These steps are refreezing,
changing and unfreezing. Lewin's model is practical and simple to comprehend therefore
efficient in facilitating a change process (Manchester et al., 2014). Based on the model, the
change process involves establishing the notion that a change is necessary, creating new behavior
and eventually making it a norm.
The first stage of Lewin's model, unfreezing, entails preparing the organization for
change. It is basically creating motivation to change. In the particular scenario, adequate
awareness has to be made in regards to the new computerized medication system. It is, therefore,
significant to challenge the attitudes, values, behaviors and beliefs of the health facility
concerning the anticipated change (Shirey, 2013). It is estimated that the process of creating this
transformation would take roughly one month. Consequently, organizing a weekly meeting with
midwives to explicitly clarify the essence of the change would be paramount. Data concerning
the increase in medication errors ought to be provided to trigger better delivery of services
through the use of the contemporary system.

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Lewin's second stage, change, is where the implementation occurs. Additionally, it entails
people beginning to resolve uncertainty by finding diverse ways of handling matters. In the
changing stage, every employee of an organization must begin to acquire new skills, behaviors
and thinking ways (Hussain et al., 2016). However, the success of this step primarily depends on
the triumph of the unfreezing stage. It is easier to complete this step if unfreezing was
prosperous. Support, communication, time, motivation and education are key as employees
familiarize with the change.
In the provided scenario, the senior nurse leader has to appoint supervisors to ensure that
midwives effectively provide clinical services through the utilization of the computerized
system. The leader can also perform appraisals to the nurses who efficiently adapt to using the
system. The transformation will approximately take six months after installation to be fully
incorporated into the health facility. Every midwife ought to act or behave in ways which are
aimed at supporting the new direction. The nurse leader should constantly remind the midwives
of the motives that necessitated the change (Hussain et al., 2016). Similarly, they ought to
remind the nurses of how the electronic system would be important to them when it is fully
implemented.
The last stage, refreezing, entails making the change long-lasting and permanent. An
organization becomes ready to refreeze whenever the changes are fully implemented and
workers have embraced new working ways (Cummings, Bridgman and Brown, 2016). The
refreeze stage is very critical in any institution. It helps the organization and people to
institutionalize or internalize the changes.
In this scenario, the senior nurse leader should ensure that the computerized medication
system is used at all times. The system has to be incorporated into everyday nursing practice.

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The leadership of the health facility should make sure that the change is anchored in the
organization's culture. Furthermore, this can be done by identifying what supports or hinders the
change and taking the necessary action (Cummings, Bridgman and Brown, 2016). Establishing
ways that sustain the transformation would be vital. It is achievable by creating feedback
systems, reward strategies and providing leadership support. Therefore, nurses would feel
comfortable and confident with the innovative way of working on account of the new sense of
success.
An appropriate leadership style is fundamental for executing a change process.
Democratic leadership is widely used and it primarily entails leaders seeking contribution from
their team members before final decisions are made. Conventionally, employees have greater job
satisfaction whenever their employers utilize this leadership style (Nanjundeswaraswamy and
Swamy, 2014). An organization benefits from better innovation and creativity due the diverse
inputs provided. Participative or democratic leadership is crucial especially during the change
and refreezing stages. In the change step, the leadership style can be used to improve how
electronic system will be incorporated into the health facility (Giltinane, 2013). Midwives or
nurses are able to contribute on how to effectively use the computerized system. Moreover, in
the refreezing stage, democratic leadership would be essential in ensuring that the system is fully
embraced. Nurses are able to propose the best ways of how to completely adjust to the new
change.
Bureaucratic leadership is frequently helpful in high administrative environments where
obedience to rules is significant. Nonetheless, democratic leadership is beneficial in comparison
to bureaucratic. Bureaucratic style can hinder creativity and innovation as participation in

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decision making is not considered (Negussie and Demissie, 2013). Therefore, selecting the
suitable leadership style is crucial for the change plan and consequent patient safety.
Conventionally, any change process must face resistance. In this scenario, nurses may
fail to consider the system as beneficial. Nurses will need to comprehend how the system is
helpful to them and patients for them to accept it and contribute to its success. Another potential
opposition to the change plan is those who benefit from status quo are harmed by transformation
(Redley and Botti, 2013). It is imperative for nurse leaders to foresee and mitigate these
situations. Nevertheless, this resistance can be solved using several strategies. Communication
and time are necessary when effecting changes successfully. Nurses will require adequate time to
comprehend the changes. Likewise, they need to feel greatly connected to the health facility
throughout the transition phase.
Conclusion
In conclusion, effective leadership is required when implementing a change plan. Nurses
ought to practice effective leadership to enhance the efficient delivery of clinical services.
Structural changes in health organizations are fundamental in ensuring that there are minimal
errors. The occurrence of avoidable errors in the health care system leads to inappropriate
provision of health services causing poor health among patients and subsequent deaths. Notably,
Lewin's model is appropriate when implementing change in the scenario discussed. It adequately
provides a framework of how nurse leaders can implement the proposed change plan.

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