Capella FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4005 Nursing Leadership: Focusing on People, Processes, and Organizations

Prof. Name

Date

Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal

The plan is aimed at improving the inconsistent and ineffective passing of patient information between staff at Grandview Medical Center’s medical-surgical unit. Due to misunderstandings between departments and different parts of a facility while switching shifts, the safety of patients is compromised, and their care may stop abruptly. It is important to apply a communication strategy that is sustainable and based on research, so that all teams can collaborate and share correct information.

Objective

This plan’s targets include developing a regular, shared communication approach based on TeamSTEPPS and improvements to the SBAR method on the medical-surgical unit at Grandview Medical Center. Patient care is improved by ensuring there are no communication gaps as patients go from one team to another. It will involve organizing training, frequently conducting audits, and using feedback to help nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals to consistently use the set communication tools. If done right, this program will help patients because it reduces preventable errors, delayed care, and situations linked to a lack of information during transitions.

In addition, it will bring the team closer, improve everyone’s accountability and streamline work processes by ensuring that disciplines are respectful and understand each other (Sheehan et al., 2021). When employees share more information as planned, it helps the hospital ensure high quality of care and also makes it more efficient. By making handoffs systematic and encouraging everyone to share information, you can ensure that collaboration becomes reliable, boosting the happiness of your team and improving the well-being of patients.

Questions and Predictions

How will implementing a standardized handoff protocol, such as SBAR, affect communication between nurses during shift changes?

It is predicted that using a structured format like SBAR will enhance clarity and completeness of information transfer, reducing communication breakdowns and improving continuity of care.

Will the adoption of a standardized handoff process increase the time required for nurse shift reports?

Initially, there may be a slight increase in time as nurses adapt to the new format. However, once integrated into routine practice, the handoff process is expected to become more efficient and time-effective.

How will this plan affect patient safety and clinical outcomes?

Improved communication during handoffs is predicted to reduce errors, enhance patient safety, and lower the rate of adverse events such as medication omissions or duplicated tests.

What training or support will nurses need to adopt the new handoff protocol successfully?

Brief but focused training sessions, role-playing exercises, and printed reference materials will help ensure nurses understand and adopt the protocol effectively.

What challenges might arise during implementation?

Resistance to change, time pressures, and varying communication styles may pose initial challenges, but these can be addressed through leadership support, feedback loops, and ongoing education.

Change Theories and Leadership Strategies

To achieve success, doctors should follow the method from Lewin’s Change Management Theory which includes unfreezing, changing and refreezing. During the “unfreezing” step, staff must be encouraged to see how mistakes during shift changes may affect patient safety. During the process of “changing,” training and pilot trials will be provided to support using the SBAR method. In the last step, called “refreezing,” new guidelines will be emphasized through including them in policies, receiving feedback and having peers support their adoption (Stanz et al., 2021). The initiative will be led by using a transformational leadership strategy.

This strategy relies on motivating employees, encouraging them with inspiration and involving staff in team projects to improve their careers. To empower team members, nurse leaders should participate in effective handovers, support clear communication and highlight progress they make. Using this approach encourages both nurses and other team members to support and trust each other (Page, 2020). When transformational leadership is used with Lewin’s theory, the plan promotes lasting changes in practices, greater teamwork and increased responsibility, all focused on improving patient safety through proper communication within the organization.

Team Collaboration Strategy

The implementation of a standardized SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) protocol for nurse handoffs will involve clearly defined roles across the interdisciplinary team. The nurse manager will oversee implementation and schedule training sessions. Staff nurses will be responsible for utilizing the SBAR format during each shift change. Unit educators will provide ongoing coaching and reinforcement. The clinical informatics specialist will integrate SBAR templates into the EHR to standardize documentation. The quality improvement officer will evaluate outcomes and compliance weekly over a 12-week pilot phase (Fernández et al., 2022).

To support effective collaboration, interprofessional team huddles will be scheduled twice weekly to review handoff outcomes, share observations, and resolve issues. This collaboration model is aligned with the TeamSTEPPS framework, which promotes mutual support, communication, and situational awareness—key elements for safe and effective handoffs. Regular debriefings and shared decision-making will ensure that the team adapts and refines the handoff process collectively.

This collaborative approach is particularly relevant to the high-acuity environment of the interviewee’s organization, where seamless transitions in care are essential (Hassan et al., 2024). By engaging all stakeholders in the planning, implementation, and feedback processes, this strategy enhances accountability, strengthens interdisciplinary trust, and improves both patient safety and continuity of care.

Required Organizational Resources

To effectively implement the SBAR protocol during nurse handoffs, healthcare institutions must allocate appropriate resources to support the initiative. Key personnel include a nurse manager to oversee implementation, an educator to provide SBAR training, informatics staff to update EHRs, and a quality improvement specialist to monitor compliance (Alhmoud et al., 2022). While additional staffing is not necessary, each nurse will require approximately 10 to 15 hours of training, which may incur costs associated with overtime or shift coverage, estimated at $200 to $300 per nurse.

Essential materials include printed SBAR pocket cards, laminated signage, and modifications to existing SBAR templates within the EHR system. These items represent a one-time, low-cost investment, projected between $1,000 and $2,000. Although the organization already possesses the necessary technological infrastructure, IT staff must dedicate 20 to 30 hours to refine and update the EHR system accordingly. Access to nursing units during shift changes and secure systems for organizing patient records are required, though no additional communication tools are anticipated.

Collaboration with departmental leadership is essential to integrate workflow modifications (Alhmoud et al., 2022). The initiative is expected to cost between $10,000 and $15,000, factoring in professional development time, staff coverage, and resource allocation. Failure to implement the plan may result in frequent communication errors during handoffs, potentially leading to adverse events, hospital readmissions, reduced staff morale, and increased turnover. These outcomes can impose significant financial burdens due to liability claims, patient safety incidents, and recruitment costs, underscoring the value of proactive investment in structured communication protocols.

References

Alhmoud, B., Melley, D., Khan, N., Bonicci, T., Patel, R., & Banerjee, A. (2022). Evaluating a novel, integrative dashboard for health professionals’ performance in managing deteriorating patients: A quality improvement project. British Medical Journal Open Quality, 11(4), e002033. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2022-002033

Fernández, M. C. M., Martín, S. C., Presa, C. L., Martínez, E. F., Gomes, L., & Sanchez, P. M. (2022). SBAR method for improving well-being in the internal medicine unit: Quasi-Experimental research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16813. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416813

Hassan, A. E., Mohammed, F. A., Zakaria, A. M., & Ibrahim, I. A. (2024). Evaluating the effect of TeamSTEPPS on teamwork perceptions and patient safety culture among newly graduated nurses. BioMed Central Nursing, 23(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01850-y