Force Field Analysis Essay

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Case Study: Force Field Analysis and Strategies for Change In this case study you are a charge nurse on a medical/surgical unit that just implemented a barcode medication administration system (BCMA) that the hospital spent millions of dollars to implement. You have noticed some staff resistance to this change and some nurses overriding the safety features of the system. Proper orientation and training has been provided, yet you have noticed that staff have developed “workarounds” to the system. Some reasons suggested for not following proper procedure include the system delaying medication administration to their patients due to it taking more time to use, not wanting to wake their patients, and the equipment not always working. You need to identify driving and restraining forces impacting the refreezing of the BCMA system and develop strategies …show more content…

There are two opposing forces, the driving forces or those seeking to promote change and restraining forces or those attempting to maintain the status quo. For any change to occur, the driving forces must exceed the restraining forces (DePaul University/SNL Online, 2010). In the case study above, some driving forces of implementing the BCMA system include: (1) improved patient safety, (2) reduced medication administration errors, and (3) overall cost of the system. Restraining forces include: (1) workarounds of the system, (2) conformity to norms, and (3) delay in medication administration. The driving forces of improved patient safety, reduced medication errors, and cost the hospital paid for the system all facilitate change. On the other hand, the restraining forces of workarounds, conformity, and delayed medication administration impede change. Ways to reduce the intensity of the restraining forces should be looked at to push the system towards

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