Factors to Consider When Formulating and Executing a Plan

Effective planning is essential for nursing leaders to drive positive outcomes and ensure optimal patient care. When formulating and executing a plan, nursing leaders should consider the following factors:

• The needs of the patients: What are the patients’ medical and nursing needs? What are their cultural and religious preferences? What are their goals for care?
• The strengths and weaknesses of the team: What skills and experience does the team have? What are their areas of expertise? What are their challenges?
• The resources available: What financial and material resources are available? What personnel are available?
• The policies and procedures of the organization: What are the organization’s policies and procedures on patient care, staffing, and other relevant matters?
• The external environment: What are the external factors that could impact the plan, such as regulatory changes, pandemic outbreaks, and natural disasters?

Potential Challenges and Obstacles

Nursing leaders may face a number of challenges and obstacles when planning for their teams or units. Some common challenges include:

• Limited resources: Nursing leaders may have limited financial, material, and personnel resources at their disposal. This can make it difficult to develop and implement effective plans.
• Competing priorities: Nursing leaders often have to juggle multiple competing priorities, such as patient care, staffing, and quality improvement. This can make it difficult to focus on planning.
• Resistance to change: Nurses may be resistant to change, especially if it involves changes to their routine or workload. This can make it difficult to implement new plans.
• Lack of support: Nursing leaders may not have the support of their superiors or other key stakeholders. This can make it difficult to develop and implement effective plans.

Example

Here is an example of an obstacle faced in planning and a strategy or approach for overcoming that challenge:

Obstacle: A nursing leader is tasked with developing a plan to reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) on their unit. However, the unit is understaffed and the nurses are already overworked.

Strategy or approach: The nursing leader meets with the nurses on the unit to discuss the problem and brainstorm solutions. The nurses come up with a plan to implement a new bundle of care practices that are known to be effective in reducing HAIs. The nursing leader then works with the nurses to implement the new care practices and to provide them with the support they need to be successful.

Overcoming Challenges

Nursing leaders can overcome the challenges of planning by using the following strategies:

• Involve the team: Nursing leaders should involve their team members in the planning process. This will help to ensure that the plan is realistic and achievable, and that it meets the needs of the patients and the team.
• Be flexible: Nursing leaders need to be flexible and adaptable when planning. Things don’t always go according to plan, so it’s important to be able to make adjustments as needed.
• Communicate effectively: Nursing leaders need to communicate effectively with their team members, other stakeholders, and patients. This will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the plan is being implemented effectively.
• Seek support: Nursing leaders should seek support from their superiors, colleagues, and other resources. This will help them to overcome the challenges of planning and to implement effective plans.

Conclusion

Effective planning is essential for nursing leaders to drive positive outcomes and ensure optimal patient care. By considering the factors mentioned above and using the strategies described above, nursing leaders can overcome the challenges of planning and develop and implement effective plans for their teams and units.