Leadership And Innovation Assesnment

introduction of a ward fall prevention strategy for older and vulnerable people

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION: A CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF WARD FALL PREVENTION STRATEGY FOR OLDER AND
VULNERABLE PEOPLE
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................2
2.0 Discussion...................................................................................................................3
2.1 Innovation in Healthcare..........................................................................................3
2.2 Use of Evidence to Support Change.......................................................................5
2.3 Leadership...............................................................................................................6
2.4 Change Theory and Change Management.............................................................9
3.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................................13
References.......................................................................................................................14

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1.0 Introduction
According to the official report of Hpb.gov.sg (2020), the incidence rate of
unintentional falls for the older and vulnerable adults within the nation of Singapore for
the year 2018 was 397.7 per 10,000 adults. Towne Jr. et al. (2019) are of the viewpoint
that 30% of the adults above the age of 65 years and more than 50% of the adults over
the age of 80 years fall atleast one in a year within the nation of Singapore which in turn
had made the issue of ward fall an important one from the perspective of the concerned
nation. More importantly, it had been seen that these unintentional falls cause
irreparable damage to the health as well as the wellbeing of the older often leading to
disability in them and the vulnerable adults which in turn had made the resolution of this
particular issue an important one for safeguarding the safety and the wellbeing of the
concerned group of individuals (Goldberg, Resnik, Marks & Merchant, 2019). It is for the
resolution of this particular issue faced by the older and the vulnerable adults that this
change management proposal had been written. The purpose of this paper is to
suggest the introduction of a ward fall prevention strategy for older and vulnerable
people. Furthermore, the paper will also articulate the need for the usage of situational
leadership approach, usage of adequate change management models like Lewin’s
change management model, usage of required technological innovations and others for
the implementation of this particular change.

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2.0 Discussion
2.1 Innovation in Healthcare
Marrero, Fortinsky, Kuchel and Robison (2019) are of the viewpoint that the
healthcare industry more than any other industries of the world requires the extensive
usage of the different kinds of technological innovations or for that matter the
technological advancements for the purpose of offering the required healthcare services
to the patients. Adding to this, Phelan, Aerts, Dowler, Eckstrom and Casey (2016) have
noted that the healthcare professionals as well as the healthcare organizations are
required to take the help of the recent technological developments or innovations for the
purpose of offering the best quality healthcare services to the patients. In addition to
these, an important factor which the healthcare professionals and also the healthcare
organizations need to keep into perspective while offering the healthcare services to the
patients is the attribute of patient safety (Lach & Noimontree, 2018). In this relation, it
needs to be said that the attribute of patient safety is important since it helps the
healthcare professionals to safeguard the safety of the patients while improving the
quality of care which is being offered to them.
In the particular context of the older and vulnerable adults, it is seen that an
important innovative technology which is being used for enhancing their safety are
activator poles which enhance the balance and also the mobility of the older or the
vulnerable adults and thereby have become an important replacements for walkers or
the canes (Goldberg, Resnik, Marks & Merchant, 2019). More importantly, it is seen that
the dual poles of these devices offer later stability to the individuals and have the
capacity to bear around 200 pounds of weight (Lee, Lee & Rodiek, 2017). Furthermore,

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the bell-shaped tip of these devices offer the required stability to the individuals, its
ergonomically correct handle strengths the core of the individuals and the poles of the
device are adjustable so the individuals have the opportunity to adjust the same as per
the requirements or convenience (Towne Jr. et al., 2019). These are some of the most
important strength points of the concerned device. However, at the same time it needs
to be said that there are certain weaknesses of this particular device as well. For
instance, an important weakness of this particular device is the fact that the older and
the vulnerable adults are not always comfortable to wear this device and thereby often
face difficulty in using the same (Marrero, Fortinsky, Kuchel & Robison, 2019).
Furthermore, the usage of this device requires a certain amount of technological
knowledge which the older adults because of their vulnerable condition often lack.
Despite these weaknesses of the device under discussion here, the healthcare
organizations have the opportunity to use them for preventing the fall of the the older
and the vulnerable individuals through the usage of these devices. For instance, they
have the opportunity to offer the required assistance as well as the education to the
older and the vulnerable individuals through which they would be able to use these
devices effective and thereby safeguard their safety or wellbeing (Goldberg, Resnik,
Marks & Merchant, 2019). Having said these, there are some threats associated with
the usage of these devices as well. For example, if not used effectively then these
devices can adversely affect the stability, balance and the mobility of the older and the
vulnerable adults and thereby rather than benefitting them can adversely affect the level
of their wellbeing. However, the strengths and the opportunities presented by the usage
of this device for reducing older and vulnerable adult falls far out-weigh the threats

5LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
presented by the same. In the light of these benefits offered by the device under
discussion here, it is seen that the majority of healthcare organizations or the senior
care homes have integrated this device within the fall prevention strategy used by them.
2.2 Use of Evidence to Support Change
Van Rossum et al. (2016) are of the viewpoint that the different changes which
are being implemented by the healthcare organizations or the senior care homes needs
to be supported by adequate evidence. Adding to this, Al-Moosa and Sharts-Hopko
(2017) have noted that this is important since it helps the healthcare organizations or
the senior care homes to understand the possible or the likely outcomes of the changes
which they are about to implement, the manner in which it would affect the delivery of
care, the likely challenges or the risks that they are going to face and important aspects
related to the same. More importantly, since the majority of the healthcare organizations
or the senior care homes often deal with vulnerable or serious patients thus a small
error or mistake could have serious implications for the safety as well as the wellbeing
of the patients. For instance, in the particular context of the fall prevention activator
poles which are being used for reducing older and vulnerable individuals, senior care
homes and also the healthcare organizations need to know this would help in reducing
falls and thereby benefit the older and the vulnerable adults rather than aggravating
their condition even further (Phelan, Aerts, Dowler, Eckstrom & Casey, 2016). As a
matter of fact, it had been seen that numerous adults and vulnerable adults had
positively benefited through the usage of this particular device which had not only
reduced the number of their falls but also helps them to move with greater mobility as
well. Thus, it becomes important for the senior care homes or the healthcare

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organizations to implement the kind of changes which are being supported by adequate
amount of evidence. These evidences can be sourced from the research works
conducted by the different scholars, the reports of the different healthcare organizations
or the senior care homes which have used similar interventions or changes and others.
2.3 Leadership
Van der Voet, Kuipers and Groeneveld (2016) are of the viewpoint that an
important factor which greatly influences the success or the failure of the different
changes which are being implemented by the healthcare organizations or the senior
care homes for the improvement of the quality of healthcare services that they offer to
the patients can be attributed to the aspect of the leadership approach which is being
used. Adding to this, Rosenbaum, More and Steane (2016) have noted that this can be
explained on the basis of the fact that the leaders play a pivotal role during the process
of change management and also entrusted with completing different important tasks
during the same for ensuring the fact that the changes are being adequately
implemented. In this relation, it needs to be said that the leaders during the process of
change formulate the blueprint on the basis of which the changes would be
implemented, cascade the required information to the workers or the stakeholders
regarding the need or the importance of the change, offer the required coaching and
mentoring to the workers as to overcome the resistance from the workers, undertake
monitoring, evaluation and also amend the change management plan if required (Van
der Voet & Vermeeren, 2017). These in turn make the job roles performed by the
leaders during the process of change management an indispensible one and thus the

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effectiveness with which the leaders are being able to perform their job roles
substantially determines the success of the change management process.
As discussed by Kickul, Griffiths and Titus (2019), healthcare organizations or
the senior care homes have the opportunity to take the take the help of different
leadership approaches or leadership models depending on the nature or the kind of
changes that they are implementing. Adding to this, Fattore, Iacovone and Steccolini
(2018) have noted that two of the most important leadership approaches which had
been used by the healthcare corporations or the senior care homes over the years for
implementing different changes are the situational leadership style and the transactional
leadership style. The most important precept of the situational leadership style is that
the usage of a single leadership approach or style cannot help the leaders to effectively
deal with the different situations that they are likely to face since different situations
have different merits (Doppelt, 2017). Thus, it becomes important for the leaders to
modify their leadership approach as per the merit of the situation and thereby treat the
situation accordingly. The most important strength point of this particular leadership
approach is the fact that it affords the opportunity to the leaders to act on each of the
situations as per their merits or priority. This leadership approach also helps the leaders
to devote the required amount of resources, time and energy to the different situations
as per the merit that they have in terms of the change management process or others
which are being undertaken (Hayes, 2018). However, at the same time it needs to be
said that an important weakness of this particular leadership approach is the fact an
error or a misjudgment on the part of the leaders regarding the merit or the importance
of the situation can adversely affect the outcomes of the entire change management

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process (Dal Mas et al., 2019). Thus, the leaders are required to have the right kind of
expertise and also critical decision making ability for the purpose of effectively using this
particular leadership approach.
Murdock, Delgado, Gammon and Raole (2019) are of the viewpoint that the
transactional leadership approach is the one wherein the leaders are required to use the
framework of reward and punishment for the purpose of managing their followers.
Adding to this, Altamony, Al-Salti, Gharaibeh and Elyas (2016) have noted that through
the usage of this particular leadership approach the leaders have the opportunity to
reward the individuals who are working as per the set goals or objectives and punish the
ones who are not. An important strength point of this leadership approach is the fact
that the leaders have the opportunity to positively influence the behavior or the
performance of the workers through the usage of the construct of reward and
punishment. More importantly, it is seen that the rewards which are being offered to the
followers are in synchronicity with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and thereby it motivates
the followers to perform effectively (Karamitri, Talias & Bellali, 2017). This as a matter of
fact is an important reason why the different leaders take the help of this particular
leadership approach for undertaking the process of change management. However, at
the same time it seen that an important weakness of this particular leadership approach
is the fact that this leadership approach solely focuses on the aspect of reward and
punishment at the complete disregard of the other aspects like creating the awareness
among the followers for the need of the change and others (Van Rossum et al., 2016).
Furthermore, this particular approach also does not help the leaders to effectively
overcome the resistance from the followers. These in turn are important reasons why

9LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
the different leaders do not prefer to take the help of this particular leadership approach
during the process of change management.
The situational leadership approach had been selected for the implementation of
the change under discussion here. This can be explained on the basis of the fact that
the usage of this particular leadership approach would help the leader in overcoming
the resistance from the followers, handling each of the situations which might arise
during the process on the basis of their merits and others (Guillemette, Mignerat & Paré,
2017). More importantly, through the usage of this particular approach, the leader would
also be able to change or modify their leadership approach as per the need or for that
matter the demand of the situation. It is in the light of these aspects that the situational
leadership approach had been selected for the implementation of the change.
2.4 Change Theory and Change Management
Al-Moosa and Sharts-Hopko (2017) are of the viewpoint that the successful
implementation of the different changes depends substantially on the effectiveness with
which the change management models are being used and also the kind of change
management model is being used for the implementation of the change. Adding to this,
Van der Voet, Kuipers and Groeneveld (2016) have noted that the selection of the
change management models needs to be done as per the nature or for that matter the
kind of change which is being implemented. In this relation, it needs to be said that two
of the most important change management models which are being used within the
healthcare sector for the implementation of the different changes are Lewin’s change
management model and Mckinsey’s 7S Model (Rosenbaum, More & Steane, 2016). In
the particular context of the implementation of the change under discussion here

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Lewin’s change management will be used because of the simplicity as well as the
effectiveness of the concerned model for the implementation of changes within the
healthcare organizations or the social care homes. More importantly, Mckinsey’s 7S
Model had been rejected since the concerned model is very complex in nature and thus
many organizations to have failed to get the desired results from the usage of this
model because of the complexity of the same.
Murdock, Delgado, Gammon and Raole (2019) are of the viewpoint that the three
important steps which the healthcare organizations need to use when taking the help of
Lewin’s change management model are unfreeze, change and refreeze. For instance,
the stage unfreeze is the one wherein the healthcare organizations are required to
identify the issues, identify the change which needs to be implemented for the resolution
of the issues, make the workers understand the need for the change and also the
benefits that they would derive through the implementation of the change and others
(Hayes, 2018). In the particular context of the implementation of the compulsory usage
of activator poles for the older and vulnerable adults, it can be said that this stage would
require the nurse leader to make the nurses and also the older and the vulnerable
adults understand the needs for this change and also the benefits that the usage of the
same would offer to them. Furthermore, the leaders need to make the nurses and the
older or the vulnerable adults understand the manner in which it would reduce patient
falls and thereby improve the quality of care that is being offered to the older or the
vulnerable adults.
In the second stage, the implementation of the change is being undertaken and
also adequate amount of coaching or mentoring is being offered to the followers so that

11LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
they would be able to derive the maximum amount of benefit from the usage of the
concerned change (Kickul, Griffiths & Titus, 2019). In the context of the change under
discussion here, it can be said that in this stage the nurse leader along with the
implementation of the change would also have to offer the coaching or the mentoring to
the nurses and also the older or the vulnerable adults so that they would be able to
effectively utilize the change. The last stage is the one wherein the changes are being
integrated within the organizational culture and also adequate evaluation measures are
being used for evaluating the benefits offered by the changes (Doppelt, 2017). Thus, in
this stage, the nurse leader would have to make the activator poles an integral part of
the fall prevention measures used by the healthcare organization or the senior care
home and also use adequate measures for the results derived through the
implementation of the concerned change. More importantly, the nurse leader also has
the opportunity to make improvements to the change which had been implemented on
the basis of the results obtained from the evaluation process.
As discussed by Fattore, Iacovone and Steccolini (2018), the change agents play
a pivotal role during the process of change management and it is these individuals who
identify the issues or the challenges for the resolution of which the different change
management projects are being undertaken by the corporations. Adding to this, Van der
Voet and Vermeeren (2017) have noted that the change agents can be individuals from
within the corporations or from outside the corporations and their primary objective is to
help the corporations to transform or for that matter to enhance the effectiveness of the
healthcare services or the patient care which is being offered by them. Furthermore,
sometimes it is seen that the governments themselves act as change agents by

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formulating new policies, mandates and others that the healthcare organizations are
required to follow for offering the required care to the patients (Marrero, Fortinsky,
Kuchel & Robison, 2019). More importantly, the change agents act as catalysts who
facilitate the implementation of different changes within the corporations and thereby not
only enhance the quality of patient care which is being offered by the corporations but
also their overall organizational effectiveness as well. In the light of these aspects, it can
be said that the change agents play an indispensible role during the process of change
management.
Towne Jr. et al. (2019) are of the viewpoint that within the healthcare sector it
had been seen that the nurses often prove to be the best change agents who have
proved instrumental in implementing different changes within the healthcare
organizations which in turn had improved the quality of patient care and also patient
safety as well. Adding to this, Lee, Lee and Rodiek (2017) have noted that an important
reason why the nurses over the years have proved to be effective change agents since
they directly deal with the patients and thus have a fair idea regarding the issues that
the patients are facing and the manner in which they can be resolved effectively. More
importantly, since the nurses are required to offer the healthcare services or the care to
the patients by taking into account the healthcare policies or the principles so they also
know the gaps which exist in the policies and thereby are in an ideal position to
recommend the changes that will enable the healthcare organizations to overcome
these gaps (Goldberg, Resnik, Marks & Merchant, 2019). For instance, since the nurses
directly deal with the older or the vulnerable adults thus they have a fair idea of the
reasons because of which these individuals fall and thereby injure themselves and also

13LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
the measures that can be adopted for mitigating the issues because of which they fall.
In the light of these aspects, it can be said that the nurses are in an ideal position to act
as catalysts for facilitating the required changes within the healthcare sector which in
turn would improve the quality of care and also the healthcare services.
3.0 Conclusion
To conclude, patient fall is an important issue which the older and the vulnerable
adults face because of their physical condition. Furthermore, this issue faced by the
older or the vulnerable adults adversely affects the quality of care which is being offered
to them and also their health condition as well. Thus, it becomes important for the
healthcare organizations to take the help of adequate changes for resolving this
particular issue faced by the older or the vulnerable adults. The usage of activator poles
is likely to help the healthcare organizations to overcome this particular issue faced by
the older or the vulnerable adults. However, for the effective implementation of this
particular change, the healthcare organizations need to take the help of adequate
leadership approach like the situational leadership approach and also change
management model like Lewin’s change management model. The usage of this change
management model and also leadership approach is likely to facilitate the effective
implementation of this change within the patient fall measures which are presently being
used by the healthcare organizations. These aspects of change management and
patient fall become apparent from the above discussion of the same.

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