HQS 620 Topic 1 DQ 1
DQ Describe why project management is needed and explain the correlation between the nursing process and project management
SAMPLE 1
Project management is a strategy which helps plan and guide project processes from beginning to end involving five stages namely: initiating (or selecting), planning, executing (or controlling), monitoring, and closing (Stanley et al, 2016). It can be utilized in every kind of project and has wide range of usage in complex processes in any project for development (Stanley et al, 2016).
Project Management and Nursing Process is similar concept where in project management require that any project or care plan must be appropriately designed, carefully planned, accurately applied, and carried out, must be well supervised, regulated (or controlled), and then, eventually, properly evaluated and ended/concluded (Sipes, 2015).
Project management framework is essential for carrying out process or implementing new process as it serves as a guide for the manager to successfully carry out the project from beginning to end. It gives the Project manager more leverage on the phases of project management where in cases he/she also needs to change or have additional details to include along the way, to achieve the goals of the project as it helps meets project deadlines and finish it within budget. It also helps enhance team productivity.
An example where project management framework helped in implementation of a new process is the installation of Electronic Health
Records (EHRs). It used the PSDA framework which involves gathering all data necessary to transition the traditional paper documentation to an electronic one (PLAN). It also needs to identify the computer literacy of the stakeholders to be able to use the new process (STUDY). This also goes to the identification of the length of training that needs to be provided for all stakeholders as not everyone has the same computer literacy level (DESIGN) to know how long it will take to fully operate EHRs and to also know if its application is user-friendly. Lastly, the actual implementation or usage of EHR to verify and evaluate the stakeholders’ performance (ACTION). This will determine if further training must be given to ensure that everyone can fully operate or use it.
Stanley, David NursD, MSc HS, BA Ng, Dip HE (Nursing), RN, RM, Gerontic Cert, Grad Cert HPE, MACN; Malone, Linda RN, MHM, FACHSM, MACN, Grad Dip Geront Nurs, Grad Cert E Health, Grad Cert Anaes and Rec Room, Dip App Sci (Nurs); Shields, Linda MD, PhD, FACN, FAAN, Centaur Fellow, MAICD Project management supports the change process, Nursing Management (Springhouse): June 2016 – Volume 47 – Issue 6 – p 52-55 doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000483130.35813.d9
Sipes, C., PhD, , CNS, , APRN, , PMP, , RN-BC, , NEA-BC, , & FAAN, . (2019). <i>Project management for the advanced practice nurse</i> (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
REPLY
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health Through Better Data Collection and Improved Information Infrastructure mandated a challenge to the nursing practice indicating that the health care system and nursing profession are in need for a transformation (Sipes, 2019). For large tasks like this to be successful within organizations and health care systems Program managers are needed to provide structure to process to improve sustainability. Nurses have the training of nursing process that has been a core concept in their nursing education, this problem-solving approach to patient care is practiced on a regular basis through the day for nurses. Experience and advanced nursing education strengthen this process practice for nurses and these nurses could be keep contributors to the transformation of nursing practice and health care systems.
Nursing process and Project management are very similar in process. Both concepts start with the assessment or analysis, nursing process is assessing the patient data as project management is analyzing the workflow to identify the gap in process. Then nursing process moves on the diagnosis to develop the care needed for the patient and the project management develop the project plan. Nursing plan then moves to plans to achieve the outcomes, set goals and implement plan and project management start the plan implementation and monitor to control outcomes and progress. Nursing process then evaluate the outcomes and update the plan as needed while project management end the project and review what challenges were faced and how to learn from them to improve process (Sipes, 2019). If you think about it nursing process is for direct patient care, while project management is on organizational process change. Nurses having the experience with nursing process provide them an understanding of the value of project management.
This last year our organization implemented a new system for the oversight of vascular accesses. The goal was to improve the staff’s workflow and eliminate wasteful tasks, like Lean processes described in Al-Zuheri, Vlachos & Amer (2021) in efforts to add value and maximizing process to establish a productive workload. Unfortunately, the rollout of this system was not well received at the clinic level. It is my opinion that the first step in project management was overlooked; the current state of the process and the perceived gap. First, it was implemented during the first wave of COVID, resulting in a lack of resources and poor environment for learning a new system. Time was taken to make recorded modules; however, individuals could just click though to get credit for watching and few retained the information. Currently the system is at a 7% use rate, so the process is being reviewed for a reboot of the application and process. It is my opinion that an implementation team with stakeholders from all levels is needed to assess the current state and using project management concepts discussed develop a new implementation plan and timeline and test this on a group of clinics. Learn from each implementation and adjust plan with each new group of clinics introduced to system until the entire organization is actively using the new system constantly.
Reference
Atiya Al-Zuheri, Ilias Vlachos, & Yousef Amer. (2021). Application of Lean Six Sigma to Reduce Patient Waiting Time: Literature Review. International Journal for Quality Research, 15(1), 241–258. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.24874/IJQR15.01-14
Sipes, C., PhD, , CNS, , APRN, , PMP, , RN-BC, , NEA-BC, , & FAAN, . (2019). <i>Project management for the advanced practice nurse</i> (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing Company
SAMPLE 3
Project management is explained as tasks, small or large, that require organization or framework and management with a set plan, due dates, start and end dates and resources (Sipes, 2019). Steps in used in project management are similar to the nursing process: Design (initiation), Plan, Apply/implement, Regulate/monitor and control, supervise, Conclude/close and evaluate (Sipes, 2019). Back in 1950 when project management first came around, it was a bit chaotic, but today it is considered to be a key strategy in managing corporations such as IBM, Apple, Microsoft, and healthcare.
In nursing, project management is needed so patient care is structured. Like the nursing process, project management provides a more formalized structure and organized approach to care for patients. In a step-by-step process things can get done. “Project management uses specific techniques to plan and control the scope of work to deliver a product that satisfies the client’s and stakeholders’ needs and expectations” (Stanley et al. 2016, para 4). Similar to the nursing care plan, the care is decided strictly on the patient needs and goals, just like project management. An example of a process management plan can be the introduction of a new electronic health system. In order to implement such change, one needs to have a plan of forming a team, time, cost, actions, and acceptance from all personnel’s involved.
References:
Sipes, C. (2019). Project management for the advanced practice nurse (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. ISBN-13: 9780826161956
Stanley, D., Malone, D., & Shields, L. (2016). Project management supports the change process. Nursing Management (Springhouse), 47(6). 52-55. doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000483130.35813.d9