Appendix B - Assessment Task 2 Overview The role of a clinical leader: To motivate, to inspire, to promote the values of the Healthcare profession, to empower and create a consistent focus on the needs of patients being served. Leadership is necessary not just to maintain high standards of care, but to transform services to achieve even higher levels of excellence" (Department of Health, 2007, p.49 as stated in Stanley, 2023). You are a graduate registered nurse working on a surgical ward in a large regional hospital. You have been working on the ward for the past six (6) months and are feeling comfortable in your role as the registered nurse. In the past couple of weeks, you have observed/ noticed the following in practice and through your own professional development: There have been many staff, inclusive of nursing and allied health who have resigned from their positions. You have also noted that the casual/ pool staff that are allocated to the ward are not happy to be there. You have overheard the pool staff make comments like "they do not feel welcome, they are always given the heaviest workload and if an incident occurs, they are always blamed." There has been an increase in patients being readmitted to the ward due to complications of wound breakdowns. When observing other staff members completing dressing changes for patients, you notice a large discrepancy in techniques and notice a significant lack in following the ward policy related to dressing changes. After reading some journal articles for PD, you have identified that Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are utilised in some health services however in the regional hospital, medical records are paper-based version. This makes you wonder, what type of records have a more positive effect on patients and health care professionals? After reflecting on these observations, as a clinical leader, you have escalated your concerns to your Nurse Unit Manager who supports your concerns and advises you to write a letter to Myles Chamberlain, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the health service district. In your letter, respond to the following: 1. Identify the issue/ practice concern/ ward culture that you would propose to change and give a background explanation why (using current literature). (250 words) 2. Identify two (2) interventions you propose to implement that are specific and achievable in relation to your identified area for change. Discuss how you are going to engage stakeholders and communicate these proposed interventions. (400 words) 3. Identify two (2) possible barriers to change, one (1) individual and one (1) organisational and discuss. There have been many staff, inclusive of nursing and allied health who have resigned from their positions. You have also noted that the casual/pool staff that are allocated to the ward are not happy to be there. You have overheard the pool staff make comments like "they do not feel welcome, they are always given the heaviest workload and if an incident occurs, they are always blamed." There has been an increase in patients being readmitted to the ward due to complications of wound breakdowns. When observing other staff members completing dressing changes for patients, you notice a large discrepancy in techniques and notice a significant lack in following the ward policy related to dressing changes. After reading some journal articles for PD, you have identified that Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are utilised in some health services however in the regional hospital, medical records are paper-based version. This makes you wonder, what type of records have a more positive effect on patients and health care professionals? After reflecting on these observations, as a clinical leader, you have escalated your concerns to your Nurse Unit Manager who supports your concerns and advises you to write a letter to Myles Chamberlain, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the health service district. In your letter, respond to the following: 1. Identify the issue/ practice concern/ ward culture that you would propose to change and give a background explanation why (using current literature). (250 words) 2. Identify two (2) interventions you propose to implement that are specific and achievable in relation to your identified area for change. Discuss how you are going to engage stakeholders and communicate these proposed interventions. (400 words) 3. Identify two (2) possible barriers to change, one (1) individual and one (1) organisational and discuss. (300 words) 4. Identify the leadership style that you will adopt in this innovation for change. Analyse how the attributes of this specific leadership style would benefit and guide success of this change management proposal. (400 words) Department of Health. (2007). Our NHS: Our Future. NHS Next Stage Review Interim Report. London: HM Stationary Office Stanley, D. (2019). Values-based leadership in healthcare: Congruent leadership explored. SAGE