Change is a process that is characterized by fallbacks and overheads that may at times delay the ultimate desired goal. Within the work environment, implementing change involves affecting the roles and authority of many people. There will be beneficiaries and losers when change is occurring. In this essence, the resistance is inevitable as the affected stakeholders try to protect their power and authority in as much as they recognize that such change would improve the output or outcomes. Within this context, the change process has to be planned out well to ensure that the predictable issues and overheads that may be created or may arise as a result of technicalities can be managed so that their impact on the outcomes is insignificant or limited (Tabak, Khoong, Chambers & Brownson, 2012).
In the current project, the objective of the program is to educate and train nurses on the appropriate management and prevention of cases of prenatal depression in pregnant mothers. However, as much as the program may appear good on paper, it is apparent that the involved or affected stakeholders including the management, nurses, administration and the patient population will seek justification on why the program should be carried out. To help overcome the apparent challenges in justification as well as those that may arise from the need to protect the status quo, a theoretical model to guide the change process is necessary (Mitchell, 2013).
Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory will be used as the model to guide the change process. The theory is based on the assumption that change is an innovation that should be allowed to diffuse through communication such that it is well understood by the social system which includes all those affected by the change (Mitchell, 2013). Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory is based on five steps;
Knowledge: In this stage, the individual is introduced to innovation that relates to a particular problem. For this case, the nurses and the patients will be informed of the high prevalence of cases of prenatal depression in pregnant mothers and the need to manage them (Guy, Sterling, Walker & Harrison, 2014). The people involved and those affected will have to recognize that there is a knowledge gap and that education could help cover this gap (Mitchell, 2013).
Persuasion: In this stage, the stakeholders will react to the innovation or the proposed plan. For instance, the nurses will begin to question why the education targets them and what justification has been used to show that their education and training can help in reducing the cases of prenatal depression. Others will see this as a new method for doing things and will consider the idea a positive change (Mitchell, 2013).
Decision: Now that everyone is aware of the intended innovation or change, the owners of the project will take measures that will endear the others to support the change. This will include developing communication platforms such as focus groups and discussion forums to teach the affected and involved groups of the need for change. At this point, the idea is to eliminate the elements of resistance and garner support for the project by providing solid justification (Mitchell, 2013).
Implementation: Now that everyone or a majority of the stakeholders involved can recognize the importance of change, it is the right time to put the innovation into use. In this case, the education and training program for nurses and the ultimate integration of those ideals into clinical practice will begin to take place. The resources for accomplishing this change will be defined and included in the budget to ensure a smooth process of change (Tabak, Khoong, Chambers & Brownson, 2012).
Confirmation: Since the program is up and running, there is a need to show the sustainability, efficacy and viability of the program. This includes describing the benefits as well as the areas that have failed to achieve h expected results. It is the point of evaluation. The cases of prenatal depression as well as the self-efficacy capabilities of the patient participants at the end of the six months will be determined against the baseline values. This will provide the vital data that can be used to modify the program or support it as it is or completely discard it into the future (Mitchell, 2013).
References
Guy, S., Sterling, B. S., Walker, L. O., & Harrison, T. C. (2014). Mental health literacy and postpartum depression: a qualitative description of views of lower income women. Archives of psychiatric nursing, 28(4), 256-262.
Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change: Improving the workplace requires staff to be involved and innovations to be maintained. Gary Mitchell discusses the theories that can help achieve this.Nursing Management, 20(1), 32-37.
Tabak, R. G., Khoong, E. C., Chambers, D. A., & Brownson, R. C. (2012). Bridging research and practice: models for dissemination and implementation research. American journal of preventive medicine, 43(3), 337-350.
