The nurse from the opposite hospital would provide for the sedation and recovery needs of the patient. Articulating why the change was required was the easy part. The final goal was well defined from the start, and the group readily accepted the reason for the change. It was the “how and when" that was the staff’s focus.
The next step in Lewin’s phases of change is titled the movement phase. In this phase the plan is developed, implemented, evaluated and modified if needed (Roussel, 2013). How to schedule call was the subsequent question to answer. It was critical to generate input from the staff nurses.
The first suggestion was to rotate full weekends with-in the call schedule. One staff member suggested that call be rotated once every 10 days (depending on the staff size). This would eliminate a full weekend commitment and would significantly decrease the amount of call that was currently scheduled. Both options were openly discussed and the staff embraced the second idea as the most feasible option.
Bringing the group together as a team was the next chapter in this change process. Effective teamwork is a critical component in successful change. An elusive, yet essential component of a high functioning group is cohesiveness. Building group cohesiveness is the central goal of teambuilding.
Current literature concurs that effective teams can ultimately improve healthcare by promoting productivity and efficiency. The need to develop a sense of “we" and trust in each other was another important factor in bridging and developing a successful team (Northouse, 2009 p.107; Roussel, 2013 p. 242). To assist in this elusive goal, a cross-campus group orientation program was established.
