Receptivity to Change and Innovation

Change is an essential component of nursing practice.

Leading change is a challenge for nurse leaders amid the
complexities and challenges of evolving health care
environments in providing quality patient care.
Employees understand change is necessary, but that
doesn’t mean they want to accept it.
Change represents a loss of the status quo and a loss
of control over what we’ve come to expect. It can
threaten the comfort and the confidence we’ve
developed in our role.
This underlying discomfort and fear can come
across as resistance to change. Nurse leaders
often have to implement changes that aren’t
understood, or well received. Empowering
employees to embrace the positive aspects of
implementing changes, and the opportunities
change can bring, may help your organization to
grow.
 Assess Your Organizational Culture
• A culture of complacency can jeopardize the growth of your
organization. It may feel more comfortable to avoid
implementing new technology, but it can lead to challenges
with recruitment, retention, and reimbursement. Newer
generations of nurses often expect technology to be
incorporated into care delivery, and if requirements on data
aggregation and reporting aren’t met, it may impact
reimbursement.

• Nurse leaders can help to steer employees in the right

direction if they develop a better understanding of why
many may react to change in the way they do. Some
employees may be inflexible, and resistive to change if they
don’t know what to expect. This resistance could harm
morale and negatively impact organizational culture.
 Be the Change Agent
• Change can often stir different reactions from staff such as
negativity, disinterest, and resistance. Expect, and be prepared, to
deal with those that resist the change. Some employees may not
verbally express their resistance so be alert for negative body
language and attitude. Approach these employees and allow them
to become involved in the process, and perhaps ask what they
would recommend.

• High performers may resist change because they already do well

with the way things are so the reason for the change might be
particularly important to them. Lower performing employees may
feel threatened or uncomfortable if they don’t know what the
expectations are and how it might impact them. Some employees
may not change their attitude despite your best efforts, but
maintaining an awareness of these employees may help determine
if they are negatively affecting the process or the work
environment.
As a nurse leader, you may be well aware of the different change
theories, but the key factor to implementing change is gaining
not just employee’s acceptance, but also enthusiasm for the
change. Leaders may set the tone to help their employees
develop readiness for change, but strive to implement the
change as a team, with a common goal. Everyone can help lead
the change if it’s something they believe can be beneficial.
Nurses can often make the greatest impact on improving
outcomes since they know what works and doesn’t work well,
and are often best at helping determine effective improvements.
 Promote Teamwork and Communication

Even nursing leadership may initially struggle

with the change and require time to adjust.
Therefore, it’s understandable that employees
may be challenged to commit if steps aren’t
taken to effectively communicate.
Transparency in the change process may assist
in gaining your employee’s support.
 Other steps to assist with positively implementing
change include to:
• Communicate the reasons for the change. Explain what’s going to happen,
how employees will be involved, and what’s expected. Use varied methods
to ensure information is received such as email, and postings in break
rooms or where employees gather. A lack of accurate information may
nurture negative assumptions.
• Provide opportunities for employees to share their perspective, and offer
your support. Listen to their questions, fears, and concerns and let them
know how they can contribute to acquire some sense of control.
• Educate employees on how the change might be beneficial. Provide
personal stories on how it relates to their role, such as if a new scheduling
system might offer the ability to self-schedule.
• Create a shared vision, and a clear and compelling message of how things
may improve once you reach the destination, such as how a scheduling
system may assist in identifying, and reducing overtime.
• Nurture your organizational culture to support change by providing
training, and other tools employees may need to be successful.
 Drive Innovation
The implementation of a change can be challenging,
even for nurse leaders. Although most nurse leaders
are drivers in innovation and realize that with change
comes opportunity, and new ways to provide quality
patient care and improve efficiency. Your employee’s
acceptance of a change is often determined by how it’s
presented. Most people don’t like to feel as if they
have no control. Include employees in the decision-
making process, to allow them to perceive that this
change isn’t something that’s happening to them, but
rather something that they have a say. They might end
up thinking the change was their idea.