Capella NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Capella NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4005 Nursing Leadership: Focusing on People, Processes, and Organizations

Prof. Name

Date

Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal

Delays in patient discharge at St. Anthony Medical Center create stress for patients, families, and staff. The problem occurs when instructions, medications, and follow-up planning are not completed on time, causing patients to stay longer than needed (Aggarwal et al., 2024). The proposed plan will be carried out in inpatient units through structured interdisciplinary rounds that bring together nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and case managers. The goal is to improve teamwork, shorten hospital stays, and provide patients with smoother, safer transitions from hospital to home or other care settings.

Objective

The plan will introduce structured interdisciplinary rounds that bring together nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and case managers to coordinate patient discharges more effectively. The aim is to reduce delays caused by incomplete instructions, medication reconciliation, and follow-up planning. Achieving this objective will shorten unnecessary hospital stays, improve patient satisfaction, and ease staff workload. According to Wilsher et al. (2023), stronger collaboration will also strengthen organizational efficiency, reduce confusion about roles, and create safer, more reliable care transitions for patients.

Questions and Predictions

1. How will the success of the interdisciplinary discharge plan be measured and evaluated?

The plan will be evaluated by reviewing patient discharge records, comparing pre- and post-implementation data on length of stay, and conducting staff and patient satisfaction surveys. Interdisciplinary feedback sessions will also be held to identify gaps, adjust processes, and ensure sustainable improvement.

1. Can transformational leadership improve collaboration during discharge planning?

Leaders who encourage open discussion and teamwork will build trust and motivation across disciplines. This will create a shared sense of responsibility, which will lower the chances of errors and confusion (Tsapnidou et al., 2024).

1. Will applying Lewin’s Change Theory help staff adapt to new discharge practices?

Training staff in this model will guide them through unfreezing old habits, moving toward new routines, and refreezing improvements. The process will make coordinated discharge planning a standard practice (Barrow & Annamaraju, 2022).

1. Can electronic reminders and task-tracking tools support timely discharges?

Technology will ensure accountability by alerting staff to incomplete tasks. This will decrease the number of delays caused by overlooked responsibilities.

1. Will patients benefit from improved discharge coordination?

Patients will experience smoother transitions, receive proper instructions, and leave the hospital on time. Their satisfaction will increase because care will feel more organized and supportive.

Change Theories and Leadership Strategies

Healthcare teams benefit from clear change frameworks and supportive leadership when tackling discharge delays at St. Anthony Medical Center.  Lewin’s three-stage change theory, unfreezing, moving, refreezing, offers a simple roadmap that helps staff recognize why current practices should change, practice new coordination behaviors during transition, and embed successful routines into daily work (Barrow & Annamaraju, 2022). Transformational leadership complements this theory by creating a shared vision, inspiring commitment, and recognizing contributions across nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and case management (Tsapnidou et al., 2024).

Leaders who model collaborative behavior and invite staff input increase psychological safety and ownership, which strengthens interdisciplinary rounds and accountability. Embedding these approaches within regular structured interdisciplinary rounds, standard task lists, and brief daily huddles can reduce role confusion and make discharge tasks visible and trackable, and reduce patient wait times. Measurement of small, early wins during the moving phase reinforces progress and helps sustain motivation. Leaders who celebrate improvements and provide problem-solving support help refreeze better practices as norms (Wilsher et al., 2023). Thus, the combined use of Lewin’s model and transformational strategies creates practical steps for staff engagement, clearer roles, and lasting change in discharge coordination at the interviewee’s facility.

Team Collaboration Strategy

A strong collaboration strategy begins with defining clear roles, responsibilities, and timelines for all team members. The project manager will oversee the use of the double-loop feedback model during the discharge process and ensure that the strategy is tested consistently throughout one quarter. Nursing leaders will guide their teams in completing patient education checklists before midday to confirm that each patient receives accurate and timely instructions (Julnes et al., 2022). Case managers will coordinate discharge planning by verifying follow-up appointments with patients and families before the end of the working day. The vice president will monitor team progress weekly and review workloads to ensure that responsibilities are balanced and deadlines are met.

Collaboration will be supported through structured interdisciplinary rounds, where all team members contribute to a shared care plan. A shared digital task board will track assignments and deadlines, making responsibilities transparent and reducing overlap. Weekly debrief sessions will provide space to reflect on challenges, share solutions, and refine workflows based on staff input. Families will also be engaged through simplified discharge instructions and a dedicated support line (Wilsher et al., 2023). These approaches foster accountability, strengthen teamwork, and align with organizational priorities at St. Anthony Medical Center by promoting safe and efficient patient discharges.

Required Organizational Resources

Successful implementation of the interdisciplinary discharge plan requires realistic allocation of organizational resources. Staffing needs include dedicated time from nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and case managers to participate in structured interdisciplinary rounds and discharge meetings. The hospital already employs these professionals, yet scheduling adjustments and overtime coverage could add moderate costs. Support staff, such as administrative clerks, will also be needed to coordinate follow-up appointments and documentation (Julnes et al., 2022). Equipment and supplies involve access to existing electronic health record (EHR) systems, secure communication platforms, and printing resources for patient instructions. Since the organization already maintains these tools, additional costs will relate mostly to software training and system optimization.

Access to patients, inpatient units, and outpatient departments is essential, though no new costs are expected beyond normal operational use. The primary financial implications involve staff time, potential overtime pay, and minor training expenses (Javaid et al., 2024). Approximately $50,000–$75,000 covering staff overtime, training, and minor system optimization. Without implementing this plan, delays in discharge will continue to increase patient length of stay, creating higher room and care costs, strain on bed availability, and greater dissatisfaction among patients and staff. Prolonged inefficiencies would ultimately cost the hospital more than the modest investments required to strengthen collaboration and streamline discharge processes.

Conclusion

Stronger teamwork will reduce discharge delays and ease the pressure on staff. Patients will leave the hospital sooner and feel more supported. Families will also have clearer instructions and better follow-up care. The hospital will save money and free up beds for others in need. A culture of collaboration will create lasting improvements in care quality.

References

Aggarwal, K., Singh, B., Banker, H., Stoltzfus, M. T., Hong, J., Anamika, F. N. U., Nishkamni, F. N. U., Munjal, J., & Jain, R. (2024). Exploring the ramifications of delayed hospital discharges: Impacts on patients, physicians, and healthcare systems. Cureus, 16(5). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61249 

Barrow, J. M., & Annamaraju, P. (2022). Change management in health care. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459380/ 

Capella NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Javaid, M., Haleem, A., & Singh, R. P. (2024). Health informatics to enhance the healthcare industry’s culture: An extensive analysis of its features, contributions, applications, and limitations. Informatics and Health, 1(2), 123–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infoh.2024.05.001 

Julnes, S. G., Myrvang, T., Reitan, L. S., Rønning, G., & Vatne, S. (2022). Nurse leaders’ experiences of professional responsibility toward developing nursing competence in general wards: A qualitative study. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(7). https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13745 

Capella NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 3

Tsapnidou, E., Kelesi, M., Rovithis, M., Katharakis, G., Gerogianni, G., Dafogianni, C., Toylia, G., Fasoi, G., & Stavropoulou, A. (2024). Transformational leadership—Quality achievements and benefits for the healthcare organizations: A scoping review. Hospitals, 1(1), 87–103. https://www.mdpi.com/2813-4524/1/1/8 

Wilsher, S. H., Gibbs, A., Reed, J., Baker, R., & Lindqvist, S. (2023). Patient care, integration and collaboration of physician associates in multiprofessional teams: A mixed methods study. Nursing Open, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1655