Capella FPX 4010 Assessment 3

This assessment centers on the development of an evidence-based interdisciplinary plan within a healthcare organization with the primary objective of reducing post-operative infections. 

In this context, we will explore essential components of the plan, including collaboration strategies, leadership approaches, resource allocation, and the potential consequences of inaction. 

By examining real-world examples and drawing from best practices in healthcare, this assessment aims to provide a comprehensive framework for achieving tangible improvements in patient care coordination, infection prevention, and overall healthcare outcomes.

Objective

The objective of this evidence-based interdisciplinary plan is to mitigate the incidence of post-operative infections by 20% within a 12-month timeframe, within our healthcare organization. 

This goal aligns with a growing body of research emphasizing the critical importance of reducing surgical site infections to enhance patient safety and healthcare quality. 

By focusing on a collaborative, evidence-based approach involving multiple healthcare teams, we aim to contribute to the broader discourse on healthcare-associated infections (Sartelli et al., 2020). 

The central question guiding this endeavor is whether our interdisciplinary plan can successfully harness the synergy of various healthcare disciplines to achieve a substantial reduction in post-operative infections.

Predictions

In line with this objective, several predictions underpin our evidence-based plan. First and foremost, we predict a significant 20% reduction in post-operative infection rates within the next 12 months. 

We pose the question: Can our comprehensive, interdisciplinary interventions mirror the successes observed in prior studies?

 Furthermore, we anticipate improved antibiotic stewardship practices and reduced inappropriate antibiotic usage, thereby addressing a recognized risk factor for post-operative infections. 

Our inquiry focuses on whether enhanced antibiotic stewardship will indeed result in decreased infection rates (Nader Aghakhani & Michael El Boghdady, 2023). 

We also predict that improved interdisciplinary communication will foster a more coordinated approach to infection prevention, supported by literature emphasizing the importance of effective teamwork in reducing healthcare-associated infections (Nader Aghakhani & Michael El Boghdady, 2023). 

The critical question is whether enhanced communication will translate into tangible reductions in post-operative infections. 

Finally, increased compliance with evidence-based protocols, such as hand hygiene, surgical site preparation, and prophylactic antibiotic administration, is expected. 

This prompts the question of whether higher adherence rates can lead to the desired reduction in surgical site infections.

Change Theory and Leadership Strategies

The Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model, developed by Dr. John Kotter, is a robust change theory that is highly likely to facilitate the success of an interdisciplinary team in collaborating and implementing a project plan within a healthcare organization. 

This model emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, and maintaining short-term wins to drive change effectively. 

In the context of a healthcare organization seeking to reduce post-operative infections, this model can be particularly effective (Campbell, 2020).

A study applied Kotter’s model to a real-world healthcare setting to reduce hospital-acquired infections, including surgical site infections (Campbell, 2020). 

They found that by creating a sense of urgency around infection rates and forming a dedicated interdisciplinary team (a guiding coalition), the organization was able to drive significant improvements in infection control practices (Campbell, 2020). 

By aligning the team’s efforts with short-term wins, such as a reduction in infection rates within the first six months, buy-in and enthusiasm among healthcare professionals were enhanced. 

This study demonstrates how Kotter’s model can be applied in healthcare to achieve tangible results and create a collaborative environment for change.

Leadership Strategy

Transformational leadership, is a leadership strategy highly likely to foster collaboration and buy-in for the project plan within an interdisciplinary healthcare team.

 Transformational leaders inspire and motivate their teams through a shared vision, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and providing a role model to emulate (Perez, 2021). 

In the context of reducing post-operative infections, a transformational leader can instill a sense of purpose and commitment among team members.

A real-world example of transformational leadership in healthcare can be seen in the case of a hospital CEO who successfully reduced post-operative infections by adopting a transformational leadership approach (Perez, 2021). 

By engaging with healthcare teams, sharing a compelling vision of improved patient safety, and encouraging innovative solutions, this CEO was able to foster collaboration and commitment among nurses, surgeons, infection control specialists, and other stakeholders. 

A study highlights that transformational leadership is associated with higher employee satisfaction and better patient outcomes (Perez, 2021).

Team Collaboration Strategies

Effective collaboration within an interdisciplinary team is essential to improve the likelihood of achieving the plan’s objective, which is to reduce post-operative infections within a healthcare organization (Vafadar, 2020). 

Best practices for interdisciplinary collaboration, as supported by the literature, include clear communication, mutual respect, shared decision-making, and a focus on common goals. In the context of the healthcare organization, let’s consider a real-world example.

In a hospital aiming to reduce post-operative infections, clear communication is vital among nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, and infection control specialists. 

This can be exemplified by the implementation of daily huddles or interdisciplinary rounds where team members share information, discuss patient cases, and address concerns. 

Structured communication strategies, such as daily rounds, can significantly improve collaboration among healthcare professionals (Vafadar, 2020). 

In this real-world scenario, the interdisciplinary team collaboratively reviews surgical cases, discusses potential infection risks, and ensures that evidence-based protocols are consistently followed.

Mutual respect and appreciation for each discipline’s expertise are also crucial. For instance, surgeons and nurses should value the insights provided by infection control specialists regarding best practices for infection prevention. 

In our healthcare organization, this manifests as surgeons acknowledging the expertise of infection control specialists in developing and implementing infection prevention protocols, thus fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect (Vafadar, 2020).

Furthermore, shared decision-making is essential for effective interdisciplinary collaboration. The team should collectively determine which evidence-based interventions to prioritize and tailor them to the organization’s specific context (Michalsen & Jensen, 2020). 

A study emphasizes the benefits of shared decision-making in improving patient outcomes and healthcare processes (Michalsen & Jensen, 2020). 

In our healthcare organization, this could translate to interdisciplinary teams jointly deciding on the timing of antibiotic administration, implementing evidence-based hand hygiene protocols, and collaboratively monitoring infection rates. 

This shared decision-making approach ensures that all team members are invested in achieving the plan’s objective, enhancing the likelihood of success (Michalsen & Jensen, 2020).

Required Organizational Resources

Organizational resources, including a well-structured financial budget, are essential for the success of the plan aimed at reducing post-operative infections within a healthcare organization. 

The budget should allocate resources for staffing, training, equipment, surveillance systems, and quality improvement initiatives.

In the context of reducing post-operative infections, the organization may need to invest in additional infection control specialists and nurses to ensure adequate staffing levels for surveillance and adherence to evidence-based protocols (Eom, 2022). 

Funds should be allocated for training healthcare professionals in best practices for infection prevention and control. 

A portion of the budget should be dedicated to purchasing and maintaining state-of-the-art infection surveillance systems, which enable real-time monitoring and early intervention (Eom, 2022). 

Moreover, quality improvement initiatives, such as regular audits and data analysis, require financial support.

Conversely, the impacts on these resources if nothing is done to make the improvements sought by the plan can be detrimental. 

Without proactive measures to reduce post-operative infections, the organization may experience increased healthcare costs, longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates, and potential legal liabilities. 

For example, failing to invest in infection prevention strategies may result in a surge in post-operative infections, leading to longer hospital stays and increased healthcare expenditures (Madrigal et al., 2020). 

A real-world case study of a hospital that neglected infection control measures witnessed a rise in post-operative infections, which not only strained their resources but also damaged their reputation within the community. 

Legal costs associated with litigation due to preventable infections can also be a significant financial burden (Madrigal et al., 2020). Therefore, the organization’s financial resources may be stretched thin, negatively impacting its overall budget and long-term sustainability.

Conclusion

This plan has delved into the critical components necessary for a healthcare organization to successfully reduce post-operative infections. 

By emphasizing evidence-based interdisciplinary collaboration, effective leadership strategies, resource allocation, and the consequences of inaction, we have outlined a comprehensive framework for achieving the stated objective. 

Real-world examples have illustrated the tangible impact of these components, highlighting their significance in improving patient care quality and organizational sustainability. 

As healthcare organizations continue to evolve, embracing these strategies and best practices is essential for fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and enhanced healthcare delivery.

References

Campbell, R. J. (2020). Change management in health Care. The Health Care Manager, 39(2), 50–65. https://doi.org/10.1097/hcm.0000000000000290

Eom, J. S. (2022). What is the fee for infection prevention and control? Current status and prospect. The Korean Journal of Medicine, 97(4), 199–203. https://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2022.97.4.199

Madrigal, J., Sanaiha, Y., Karunungan, K., Sareh, S., & Benharash, P. (2020). National trends in postoperative infections across surgical specialties. Surgery, 168(4), 753–759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2020.04.055

Michalsen, A., & Jensen, H. I. (2020). Interprofessional shared decision-making. Compelling Ethical Challenges in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, 7, 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43127-3_6

Nader Aghakhani, & Michael El Boghdady. (2023). Low adherence to prophylactic antibiotics and surgical site infection. PubMed, 28(2), 222–222. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_121_21

Perez, J. (2021). Leadership in healthcare: Transitioning from clinical professional to healthcare leader. Journal of Healthcare Management, Publish Ahead of Print (4). https://doi.org/10.1097/jhm-d-20-00057

Sartelli, M., Pagani, L., Iannazzo, S., Moro, M. L., Viale, P., Pan, A., Ansaloni, L., Coccolini, F., D’Errico, M. M., Agreiter, I., Amadio Nespola, G., Barchiesi, F., Benigni, V., Binazzi, R., Cappanera, S., Chiodera, A., Cola, V., Corsi, D., Cortese, F., & Crapis, M. (2020). A proposal for a comprehensive approach to infections across the surgical pathway. World Journal of Emergency Surgery, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-020-00295-3

Vafadar, Z. (2020, April 10). The necessity of teamwork and inter professional collaboration in the intensive care unit. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Necessity-of-Teamwork-and-Inter-Professional-in-Vafadar/c297f387d0c6652be533382d88326403528cf54a