Bedside reporting has currently replaced the nursing shifts that used to be time-consuming and sources of medical errors. It has helped in improving health by saving time and allowing patients to participate in their treatment. The reporting has also led to the development of strong relationships among the staffs as well as between the nurses and patients. Additionally, it creates a sense of ownership and accountability among the employees. However, successful implementation of the change requires good leadership and theory application. Therefore, the paper discusses the leadership style that can be used and theories that can be applied in the implementation of bedside reporting in hospitals.
The concept of shifting to the bedside reporting requires the use of transformational leadership style. The transformational leadership style is built on the concepts of establishing relationships and motivation of staffs through a shared mission as well as vision (Frankel & PGCMS, 2017). It promotes organizational and personal developments by allowing employees to take part in the creation of hospital procedures and strategies. Additionally, it is based on the principles of positivity and charisma in dealing and handling the employees of affirming aimed at promoting good communication and integrity. The leadership style also involves educating the staffs on what is expected from them as well as how it can be obtained.
The style is effective since it will help the nurses to identify how and why the change is necessary for the health care sectors. It promotes good communication whereby the nurses are allowed to hold discussions in the break rooms so that all nurses are aware of the new change and what is expected from them. Transformational leadership will also help in reducing the chances of any rejection or refusal to appreciate change by the nurses and other individuals in the sector (Frankel & PGCMS, 2017). Additionally, the style can inspire the nursing leaders, who in turn encourage team building, innovation, and creativity among the staffs. The style is considered more effective and well adapted to the organizational changes since it helps in promoting self-motivations that drive the staffs towards being productive in their activities.
The Peplau’s interpersonal relations theory is the best theory that can be used to develop the bedside reporting type of care (D'antonio et al., 2014). The theory is built with an aim of promoting a good relationship between nurses and patient to improve their well-being. The theory is divided into phases that help in establishing a good relationship that continues even after the termination of care. It is considered essential since it provides nurses with information on why educating the patients about care is important. During the bedside reporting, the nurses interact with patients to improve care and help them to take responsibility for individual care as well. As such, the patients can attend to themselves without having nurses constantly walking all over in shifts.
The theory was chosen because it can be effective in transforming nursing care to the bedside reporting that makes it easy to monitor the patients’ health. It is also good since it promotes interactions between patients and nurses thereby transforming the roles of nurses from medical providers to caregivers. It facilitates the patient's education that helps them to take responsibility for their health since they understand the importance of their care (D'antonio et al., 2014). As such, the patients call for help and take care of themselves even without the assistance of the nurses in and out of the hospital. It allows patients to participate in their care thereby promoting the concept of bedside reporting that saves a lot of time that was initially used by nurses while walking around the wards.
Peplau's theory can be used to implement the bedside reporting in the hospitals through the application of its four phases. The steps or phases help in the attainment of set goals; bedside reporting in this case. The orientation phase is the first step that involves the nurses giving explanations and information to patients about their treatment. As such, the problem is defined, the services available are introduced to the clients and a relationship is built. At this point, the patients are allowed to ask questions, share their experiences, expectations and determine how they can use the available resources to promote care (D'antonio et al., 2014). The identification phase is the stage where the patients begin to realize that they can participate in their treatment. As such, they stop being hopeless and select the right professional assistance for them.
The exploitation stage is when the patients will finally exploit all the resources available to promote healthy living. As such, they carry out bedside reporting when they need assistance and independently help themselves where they can. They exploit the professional assistance to obtain problem-solving alternatives as well as take advantages of the self-services that might be available (D'antonio et al., 2014). The resolution phase is the end of the process that is characterized by independent patients, who do not need many professional services. At the stage, the patients may be discharged from the hospitals since they have fully recovered and can take care of themselves without much assistance from the professionals. During the stage, the patients feel that they have been successfully involved in their treatment and have the emotional stability that can help them to be responsible for their health in future.
In conclusion, the transformational leadership style and Peplau's theory can be applied when different hospitals decide to implement bedside reporting. The leadership style is best suited because it involves working with all the subordinates in the firm, who are involved in the identification of a need to change, creation of a guide through the change process and execution of the respective change. Therefore, the subordinates in the hospital will be involved from the start to the end, thus reducing the chances of resistance from the nurses. In addition, Peplau's theory bets suits because the nurses are involved in the change process through the steps involved, thus get clear information about the change being carried out, which also implies that they are prepared to accept the change. It also minimizes resistance from them.
References
Frankel, A., & PGCMS, R. (2017). What leadership styles should senior nurses develop?. benefits, 10, 32.
D'antonio, P., Beeber, L., Sills, G., & Naegle, M. (2014). The future in the past: Hildegard Peplau and interpersonal relations in nursing. The nursing inquiry, 21(4), 311-317.
