Documentation Errors in the Health Care Setting

Documentation Errors in the Health Care Setting

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Documentation Errors in the Health Care Setting

Change in all organizations is inevitable considering the current rapid changes in the world as well as at a personal level. However, change needs to be well planned and managed to achieve its objectives and goals. There are several change theories that are used in organizations to make change effective and easily manageable. Change is meant to bring better results to the organizations and meet current and future demands of the working environment to keep up with current trends. There are several ways of effecting change using the change theories and principles of team building.

One of the ways to effect change is having a desire to change towards a certain way from within the person. There must be a feeling that drives people to opt for change. At a personal level it involves the person wanting change his life, while in organizations it involves the desire for the organization to change from certain principles or operations to others that are better and more efficient. For change to be effective there has to be reason or urgency that makes it necessary to occur. For instance, in the health care setting, there would be need to have change that prevents documentation errors that could lead to other serious problems.

The other way of effecting change is involving everybody in the organization to take part. This is done through ensuring that everybody is aware of the intended change and its purpose. This is very important since people are the ones served with the responsibility of implementing change in an organization. This way there is guarantee of participation and collaboration from everybody in the organization hence there will be less resistance. Moreover, the reason for change should be communicated to everybody laying emphasis on the positive ideas behind the change so that employees are ready to embrace the change rather than resist it. There should be communication between all departments involved as well as teams with the responsibility of implementing the change. Everybody should understand what part he or she is supposed to play in the change and information should flow regularly.

The change theories suggest a systematic way of using such steps in effecting change. For instance, the Lewin theory has three steps for implementing change. In this model, change is viewed as a dynamic force that works in various directions (Kritsonis, 2005). The three-step theory involves unfreezing where one seeks to change the current status quo through increasing the forces that drive people’s behavior from current ones. The second way of doing it is reducing forces that restrain moving from current situations. Thirdly, it can be done through the combination of the two. This step helps the employees in having a reason for change and preparing towards it.

The second step is movement, where such activities can be done such as using persuasion on employees to come to agreement, working with all workers to gather information helpful in the change, and bring the top management or influential leaders in support of the change with the workers. This step ensures that everybody is involved in the implementation of the desired change and contributing better ideas that can be embraced by everybody. The third step of this theory is refreezing that occurs after the change has already been implemented. This step takes the role of maintaining the change that has already occurred to ensure people do not go back to the old ways, but rather, incorporate the changes in the routine or replace the old ones. This can be achieved through reinforcing new guidelines that can be institutionalized by informal and formal ways and procedures as well as policies (Kritsonis, 2005). This theory helps effecting change through laying the three steps that can lead to well planned change.

Another theory that is used in effecting change is the theory of reasoned action and planned behavior that states that a person’s behavior will be influenced by his or her intentions for performing the particular desired change or behavior. This theory suggests that change is influenced by changing people’s behavior towards the desired one. It also suggests that a person has to have a positive attitude towards the desired change for it to occur. Secondly, the person is influenced by the social environment around him or her such as the beliefs held by peers. This theory also includes issues concerning control of opportunities, resources as well as skills needed. This influences the perception of an individual to change. If a person may lack the needed skills required for the change might be receptive towards change and may prefer resisting the change. This theory effects change through defining what people at individual level need in order to appreciate change as it comes. According to (Kritsonis, 2005), self-efficacy or confidence in a person must be there for a person to act and remain persistent in the change. Without this confidence, there cannot be successful or effective change.

Another way of effecting change is through team building that is meant to bring people together. In most cases, organizations define desired change and implement it but do not ensure that change it maintained until it is becomes the new tradition, resulting to people going back to the old ways. Team building ensures that employees get to know each other better through engaging in several activities together that promote the spirit of the team, communication improvement and building trust. These activities can be outside the normal work environment such as sports. This can enhance change through bonding the team and maintaining motivation at a high level (Baker, 2009). The principles of team building that effect change are communication, teamwork, leadership, self-esteem, problem solving, trust and decision-making. These principles are crucial in effecting change and they are the basic needs an organization needs to carry out its operations smoothly (Baker, 2009).

Change is inevitable in almost all organizations, and should be implemented and monitored to ensure results are maintained. The change theories play a very important role in effecting change considering they are designed to ensure that change goes on smoothly in a planned way. They also provide a way of monitoring and can aid change implementers in using the best ways to have effective change. Principles of team building on the other hand are also crucial as they ensure teams work together towards the same goal.

 

Reference

Baker, J. (2009). Seven Principles of Team Building. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Principles-of-Team-Building&id=3493114

Kritsonis, A. (2005). Comparison of Change Theories. International Journal of Scholarly Academic Intellectual Diversity, 8 (1): 1-7.