NR 703 Week 7 Assignment; Simulated DNP Evidence-based Project and Professional Leadership Capacity - Part 2

Professional DNP Leadership Capacity Name of Student Chamberlain College of Nursing NR 703 Applied Organizational & Leadership Concepts Due Date Professional DNP Leadership Capacity Addressing healthcare challenges requires committed and dedicated professionals who have the skills to get things done. A DNP-prepared nurse should possess leadership skills that are critical in helping solve the problems facing the healthcare system. Leadership skills enable nurses to make valuable contributions to the change processes. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate my leadership capacity to manage a practice change project. The paper begins by conducting a needs assessment in my current hospital's geriatric wing. The paper then highlights strategies to lead the practice change project to solve the issue identified. Lastly, the paper discusses how a leader should lead practice change teams through innovation and effective management. Organizational Needs Assessment An organizational needs assessment is a process that provides a framework for performing skills, knowledge, or practice assessment in an organization. Its purpose is to help an organization identify the gaps that might be preventing it from achieving its desired objectives. A needs assessment helps an organization to know what is working well and what needs improvement. This paper identifies the practice problem facing the geriatric unit using a practice gap assessment tool in my local hospital. The PICOT framework is also used to define the practice question for the organization. Problem The geriatric unit at my local hospital is experiencing an increase in the number of patient falls. The problem is attributed to inadequate staffing that makes it impossible for the current nursing staff to conduct hourly rounding. According to the facility’s quarterly reports on patient falls, there has been a rise in falls. Patients have also complained of a lack of attention from nurses. Nurses too complain they have excessive workloads making it impossible for them to conduct purposeful hourly rounding. As explored in Table 1, the practice gap relates to an insufficient workforce to optimally monitor at-risk patients. Practice Gap As evidenced in Table 1, a significant issue with patient falls was identified. The issue is caused by the inability of the staff members (unit managers, supervisors, nurses, or nurse assistants) to conduct regular rounding of every patient, especially those who are disoriented and therefore at a higher risk of falls. The practice gap is caused by inadequate staffing at the geriatric unit and in the facility in general, which makes it impossible for a nurse or another staff member to see each patient every hour. Practice Question Population: Elderly patients aged 65 years and above admitted to the geriatric unit with chronic diseases. Intervention: Purposeful hourly rounding. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, this is the best practice to reduce falls. It involves ensuring that a staff member such as a nurse, nurse assistant, or unit manager visits every patient at least once every hour to attend to the patient’s needs. During such rounds, the staff member assesses the patient’s position, pain, possessions, and the