What criteria (points/changes) will be used to determine that the strategies have worked effectively?

Action Plan

Develop an action plan, for a specific nursing context (emergency overcrowding the issues that are associated with this trend are medication errors, increase mortality, delay treatment). Choose one issue to develop an action plan for this issue. The action plan will be written in essay format and identify objectives for practice improvement and justify proposed evidence-based strategies. Specific criteria for predicted outcomes should be included. The action plan will be underpinned by Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change, supported with evidence, and consider relevant framework perspectives (socio-cultural, ethico-legal, politico-economic, professional-organisational).

Attach a template of your summarised action plan as an appendix.
Length: 2,500 words

You will need to address the following points in your assignment:

1. Write an introduction that provides an overview of the trend (emergency overcrowding) and key issues (delay treatment, medication errors, increase wait time) impacting on nursing practice. In the introduction identify the objectives of the action plan and briefly outline the flow of the action plan referring to the action plan template. You need to choose one or two issues to develop action plans.

2. In the body of the action plan:

o · discuss how Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change can be applied to the action plan.

o · discuss evidenced-based strategies that should be implemented to improve practice in a specific nursing context.

o · provide rationales for the proposed strategies that demonstrate an understanding of relevant perspectives from the conceptual framework.

o · identify specific outcome criteria.

o · offer relevant short and long term recommendations for practice improvement.

3. In the conclusion, summarise the key issues and the use of Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change in actioning the recommendations to address the issues identified in nursing practice.

4. Complete a template of an action plan and attach as an appendix.

5. 20 references using APA style.

Note: there is not a requirement to give a background to or to describe Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change. Your correct use of the theory is sufficient to demonstrate understanding of it.

Further suggestions for how to approach writing the Action Plan

An action plan can be written in many different styles but follow the guidelines above.

Before you start writing, identify the issue(s) you will focus on and think about real strategies that you can put in place in your workplace to reach the objective. You may want to only address one issue, given the word count available and all that needs to be discussed.

Introduction: This is a summary of the trend you identified in Assignment 1, the resultant issues and what you will focus on in the action plan – it’s always good to summarise what is the problem in the nursing context you are working in and why this problem needs to be resolved/addressed/managed. State the objectives of this action plan (what do you want to achieve?) Objectives must be SMART i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

Strategy 1 should answer all of the topics listed on the assessment sheet in full academic paragraphs/sentences.

· · What is the strategy?

· · How has this strategy worked in other places (use evidence-based literature to support)

· · What are strengths/weaknesses of the strategy

· · How does the strategy relate to Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change and what needs to be considered

to put this strategy into action in the workplace? (What are the driving and restraining forces; how

will you embed the change?)

· · How will the strategy work/be applied in the specific workplace for this action plan?

· · Who will do this?

Outcome Criteria (how will you measure / evaluate the success of your strategy)

· · What criteria (points/changes) will be used to determine that the strategies have worked effectively?

· · What instruments will be used to measure the strategies (e.g. pre- and post-surveys/tests)?

· · When will they be measured?

Strategy 2 (as above) this will probably be the maximum you can discuss, again given the word count available.

Short/Long Term Recommendations
As a result of your potential evaluation, what do you recommend for the future?
Overall Conclusion

A review of the issues
A review of the strategies and Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change applied to strategies A final statement about the benefits of putting the action plan into real action