Other FFA figures

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Here is another example representative force field analysis. This is a case related to nursing management. It considers change management which reflects upon potential benefits not only for the patient but also for staff and the organization as a whole. While you are reading the case with its use of force field analysis, please think about these questions:

What is the main difference in the FFA figure than those we have seen in the previous pages?
What do you think about how this difference works in force field analysis?

Nursing management in NHS Trust

Background

In order to meet a recommendation of the Department of Health which signified that all chemotherapy should be administered in a designated area, in 2001, National Health Service (NHS) Trust was planning a proposal for a change of shift system within a hematology/oncology day unit to promote better utilization of nursing skills and management experience. The goals of the proposal had three aspects.

Staffing Allocation: Improve the service provision to day unit patients, maintain continuity for inpatient cover, and to remain within the current funded establishment.
Professional Development:
- Provide a more autonomous management role for trained staff, through more appropriate and serviceable roster that allows a longer period of time within the unit.
- Improve and develop the clinical skills of trained staff.
Organization Development: Provide a continuing improvement in local services for cancer patients.

Method

The process of formalizing the proposed change was quite open with staff meetings and discussions. Also, all the ward team was involved throughout the whole process with managers and consultants being continually updated. Force field analysis was used to explain the driving and restraining forces associated with change. Most of the meetings resulted in favor of the proposal with several forces for change:

Weekend off
Improvement in continuation of service provision
Wanted staff
Excited by different role
Extension of professional development
Opportunity for more autonomy
Great flexibility in the daily nursing management and work organization within the unit

On the other hand, the main objections stemmed predominately from:

Environment issues and how to deal with team
Self doubt about the ability to manage autonomous role
Increased accountability increased anxiety
Being used to work 12 hours 3 days per week and reluctant to change to 7.3 hours 5 days per week.

The Trust further confirmed and analyzed these factors by combining some similar ones into a category as well as adding weights to each force according to its importance and influence. A graphic of the final result of force field analysis is shown below:

As you might have noticed the special part of this graphic, in the red marks, there are different numbers assigned to each force. This method makes the figures much clearer because weights are added to these forces to indicate the relative importance of each force. Usually positive numbers are used in driving forces and negative numbers are used in restraining forces.

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