Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program aimed at building leadership capacity: A concurrent mixed-methods study.

Background: Targeted interventions have been found effective for developing leadership practices in nurses. However, to date, no leadership training program based on the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership approach exists. Objectives: Demonstrate the effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership 6-month program designed for nurse and healthcare leaders on leadership capacity and psychological outcomes. Design: Concurrent mixed-methods with nurse and healthcare leaders from five healthcare organisations in Quebec and Ontario (Canada). Settings: Participants were recruited from five Canadian health care organizations: two in Toronto (Ontario) and three in Montreal (Quebec). Participants: A total of 50 nurse leaders and healthcare leaders were included in the quantitative component, and 22 (20 nurse leaders and two healthcare leaders) participated in the qualitative individual interviews. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative (interviews) methods were used. Quantitative data (pre-post surveys) were collected from the participants before their participation in the program (Time 0), as well as after the completion of the program (Time 1). Qualitative data (individual interviews) were collected from participants at the end of the program (Time 1). Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, and thematic analysis. Results: Quantitative results suggest a significant improvement in terms of leadership capabilities, work satisfaction, and reduction in perceived stress among participants. Three themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: 1) focus on people's strengths, 2) structure and language based on Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare values, and 3) building support networks. Conclusions: The Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program developed to build the leadership capabilities of nurse and healthcare leaders was found to be effective. The positive impact of the 6-month program was demonstrated. It was also shown that the leadership program can help improve the leadership competencies, well-being, and work satisfaction of participating nurses and healthcare leaders. Implication: This study reinforces the importance of working with educational, research, and healthcare organizations to establish leadership development programs and mentorship opportunities. Future leadership training should use a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership lens when tackling leadership and stress in the workplace.

Nursing leaders' perceptions of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training.

Background: Development of nursing leadership is necessary to ensure that nurse leaders of the future are well-equipped to tackle the challenges of a burdened healthcare system. In this context, the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program was delivered to 121 participants from 5 organizations in Canada in 2021 and 2022. To date, no study used a qualitative approach to explore nursing leaders' perceptions of a leadership Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training. Objective: To describe nursing leaders' perceptions of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training. Methods: Qualitative descriptive design was used with individual semi-structured interviews. A convenient sample of nurse leaders (n = 20) who had participated in the leadership program were recruited for an individual interview three months post training. The data generated by interviews were analyzed using a method of thematic content analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis related to the leadership program that stayed with participants three months post training: 1) mentorship: a lasting relationship, 2) human connections through Story-sharing, and 3) focus on strengths. Two other themes emerged related to the changes that they have made since attending the program: 1) seeking out different perspectives to work better as a team and 2) create a positive work environment and to show appreciation for their staff. Conclusion: The present study offers evidence of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training. Implication: This study reinforces the importance of training using a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership lens when tackling leadership.

Lessons from Long-Term Care Facilities without COVID-19 Outbreaks.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 crisis in long-term care (LTC) homes was devastating for residents and front-line workers. Recent reports have detailed what went wrong in LTC facilities, including equipment shortages, lack of preparedness, underestimation of COVID-19's virulence and bans on caregiver visits. Less is known about what went well in some facilities. PURPOSE: To describe nurses' and other staff members' experiences and lessons learned in two LTC facilities in Quebec that reported no COVID-19 outbreaks during the first wave of the pandemic. METHODS: Methods: A case study design guided by appreciative inquiry was conducted, in which a case was defined as a LTC facility without COVID-19 outbreaks; two cases were included. Twenty-three healthcare team members from the two sites were recruited and interviewed between October and November, 2020. RESULTS: Several common themes were identified: being informed and respecting outbreak protocols; the presence of key outbreak protocols, which allowed for stable teams; a clear action plan; and access to materials and resources. Key management themes included team support and reward, ongoing communication and providing compassionate care to residents. CONCLUSION: This study highlights several lessons learned that have the potential to strengthen the LTC health system.

A university/healthcare institution mentorship programme: Improving transition to practice for students.

AIM: This study describes the impact of a university-based mentorship programme that is designed to prepare nursing students for the transition to practice during their last year of classes. BACKGROUND: Research shows that mentorship is an effective strategy for facilitating the transition to clinical practice. However, there is a lack of programmes that provide mentorship prior to the students' graduation from nursing school. METHODS: A mixed qualitative and quantitative approach was chosen to describe nursing students' perceptions. Mentees and mentors were invited to complete a survey or participate in an interview (September-November 2018). RESULTS: Nine participants were interviewed and 22 completed the survey. Four themes were found. Students were as follows: Feeling unsure and looking for answers from clinicians and wanted to Learn about practical real-life situations. Their experiences allowed them to Normalize the entry to practice and become more prepared and capable to address pragmatic issues. CONCLUSIONS: By bridging the academic and clinical environments, this mentorship programme helped mentees address their concerns and facilitated an easier transition to the workplace after graduation. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers can advocate for mentorship programmes by partnering with educational institutions. This support can also be continued as new graduates transition into their careers.

Safety and Efficacy of Tinzaparin Anticoagulation during Nocturnal Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of low-molecular-weight heparin in the prevention of extracorporeal dialysis circuit clotting among in-center extended duration nocturnal hemodialysis (INHD) patients are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of 2 doses of tinzaparin, among INHD patients receiving 6-8 h hemodialysis, 3 times per week. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine antifactor Xa levels at time 0, 2 h, 4 h mid-hemodialysis (mid-HD), 6 h, and at end of each INHD session for 4 weeks and to determine extracorporeal dialysis circuit clotting and bleeding events after switching from unfractionated heparin to tinzaparin, using a standard protocol of tinzaparin delivery at the initiation and midpoint of HD. RESULTS: All 16 patients in The Ottawa Hospital INHD program were converted to tinzaparin and followed for 177 INHD sessions. Mean antifactor Xa level at 2 h of HD was 0.41 ± 0.21 (SD) IU/mL, at 4 h (mid-HD) 0.19 ± 0.17 IU/mL, at 6 h 0.44 ± 0.21 IU/mL, and at dialysis end 0.26 ± 0.14 IU/mL. Antifactor Xa levels were undetectable at the start of INHD, suggesting no tinzaparin accumulation. Five patients required an increase in tinzaparin due to extracorporeal dialysis circuit clotting. There were no bleeding events. One patient required a switch to fondaparinux due to an adverse reaction. CONCLUSION: Tinzaparin was safe and efficacious for most INHD patients without accumulation or bleeding. The conversion from unfractionated heparin to tinzaparin required an increased tinzaparin dose for 31% of INHD patients.

A Health Care Project Management Office's Strategies for Continual Change and Continuous Improvement.

Health care organizations need project and change management support in order to achieve successful transformations. A project management office (PMO) helps support the organizations through their transformations along with increasing their capabilities in project and change management. The aim of the present study was to extend understanding of the continuous improvement mechanisms used by PMOs and to describe PMO's strategies for continual change and continuous improvement in the context of major transformation in health care. This study is a descriptive case study design with interviews conducted from October to December 2015 with PMO's members (3 managers and 1 director) and 3 clients working with the PMO after a major redevelopment project ended (transition to the new facility). Participants suggested a number of elements including carefully selecting the members of the PMO, having a clear mandate for the PMO, having a method and a discipline at the same time as allowing openness and flexibility, clearly prioritizing projects, optimizing collaboration, planning for everything the PMO will need, not overlooking organizational culture, and retaining the existing support model. This study presents a number of factors ensuring the sustainability of changes.

Innovation in health service management: Adoption of project management offices to support major health care transformation.

AIM: To explore the characteristics that influence project management offices acceptance and adoption in healthcare sector. BACKGROUND: The creation of project management offices has been suggested as a promising avenue to promote successful organisational change and facilitate evidence-based practice. However, little is known about the characteristics that promote their initial adoption and acceptance in health care sector. This knowledge is important in the context where many organisations are considering implementing project management offices with nurse managers as leaders. METHODS: A descriptive multiple case study design was used. The unit of analysis was the project management offices. The study was conducted in three university-affiliated teaching hospitals in 2013-14 (Canada). Individual interviews (n = 34) were conducted with senior managers. RESULTS: Results reveal that project management offices dedicated to project and change management constitute an innovation and an added value that addresses tangible needs in the field. CONCLUSION: Project management offices are an innovation highly compatible with health care managers and their approach has parallels to the process of clinical problem solving and reasoning well-known to adopters. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This knowledge is important in a context where many nurses hold various roles in project management offices, such as Director, project manager, clinical expert and knowledge broker.

The Experience of Patients Engaged in Co-designing Care Processes.

This article presents the experiences of patients engaged in co-designing care under a program entitled, "Transforming Care at the Bedside," based at an academic health sciences center. This descriptive, qualitative study collected data through individual interviews. Participants included patients from 5 units in an academic health sciences center in Quebec, Canada. A total of 6 individual interviews were conducted in November 2014, 15 months after the Transforming Care at the Bedside work began in September 2013. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Being listened to and informed gave patients an opportunity to better understand patient needs and the complexity of care in the unit and in the organization. The experience enabled patients to better translate the patient experience for the team's benefit and influence the team's perspective and decisions. Through this experience, several patients felt motivated and empowered and that they afforded consideration through this experience. This study highlights the importance of creating opportunities for patients and health care providers to share their unique experiences and expertise to better understand each other's reality. In this context, they developed a more comprehensive understanding of the issues and worked together to implement realistic changes on behalf of the patients.

Effective Strategies to Spread Redesigning Care Processes Among Healthcare Teams.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe how spread strategies facilitate the successful implementation of the Transforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB) program and their impact on healthcare workers and patients in a major Canadian healthcare organization. DESIGN: This study used a qualitative and descriptive design with focus groups and individual interviews held in May 2014. Participants included managers and healthcare providers from eight TCAB units in a university health center in Quebec, Canada. The sample was composed of 43 individuals. METHODS: The data were analyzed using NVivo according to the method proposed by Miles and Huberman. FINDINGS: The first two themes that emerged from the analysis are related to context (organizational transition requiring many changes) and spread strategies for the TCAB program (senior management support, release time and facilitation, rotation of team members, learning from previous TCAB teams, and engaging patients). The last theme that emerged from the analysis is the impact on healthcare professionals (providing front-line staff and managers with the training they need to make changes, team leadership, and increasing receptivity to hearing patients' and families' needs and requests). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the perspectives of managers and team members to provide a better understanding of how spread strategies can facilitate the successful implementation of the TCAB program in a Canadian healthcare organization. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Spread strategies facilitate the implementation of changes to improve the quality and safety of care provided to patients.

Transforming Care at the Bedside: managers' and health care providers' perceptions of their change capacities.

BACKGROUND: The Transforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB) project engages frontline health care providers as the leaders of change and improvement efforts in their work environment. This study explored how health care providers and managers from three TCAB units in a university-affiliated health care center perceived the development of their change capacities following their involvement in this program. METHOD: This descriptive, qualitative study involved focus groups and individual interviews. RESULTS: Participants learned to work as a team and to expand their outlook. They had access to processes and tools to learn new skills. New relationships also developed among the various players, and they shared new roles, which enabled them to translate the desired changes into action and make the results visible. CONCLUSION: The study showed the TCAB program helps develop health care providers' and managers' change capacities.

CE: Original research: the perceptions of health care team members about engaging patients in care redesign.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to explore the perceptions of health care workers about engaging patients as partners on care redesign teams under a program called Transforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB), and to examine the facilitating factors, barriers, and effects of such engagement. DESIGN: This descriptive, qualitative study collected data through focus groups and individual interviews. Participants included health care providers and managers from five units at three hospitals in a university-affiliated health care center in Canada. METHODS: A total of nine focus groups and 13 individual interviews were conducted in April 2012, 18 months after the TCAB program began in September 2010. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. FINDINGS: Health care providers and managers benefited from engaging patients in the decision-making process because the patients brought a new point of view. Involving the patients exposed team members to valuable information that they hadn't previously thought about during decision making. CONCLUSION: Health care teams stand to benefit from engaging patients in the change process. Patients contribute a different point of view, and this helps to ensure that the changes proposed and implemented address their needs.

Implementation of evidence-based practices in the context of a redevelopment project in a Canadian healthcare organization.

PURPOSE: The recent introduction of a project management office (PMO) in a major healthcare center, led by a nurse, provides a unique opportunity to understand how a PMO facilitates successful implementation of evidence-based practices in care delivery. DESIGN: A case study with embedded units (individuals, projects, and organization). In this study, the case is operationally defined as the PMO deployed in a Canadian healthcare center. METHODS: The sources of evidence used in this study were diverse. They consisted of 38 individual interviews, internal documents, and administrative data. The data were collected from March 2009 to November 2011. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. FINDINGS: PMO experts help improve practices, and the patients thus receive safer and better quality care. Several participants point out that they could not make the changes without the PMO's support. They mention that they succeeded in changing their practices based on the evidence and acquired knowledge of change management with the PMO members that can be transferred to their practice. CONCLUSIONS: With the leadership of the nurse director of the PMO, members provide a range of expertise and fields in evidence-based change management, project management, and evaluation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PMO facilitates the implementation of clinical and organizational practices based on evidence to improve the quality and safety of care provided to patients.

Families' and decision makers' experiences with mental health care reform: the challenge of collaboration.

Family-driven collaboration is fundamental to developing a new model of health care and eliminating fragmented services in mental health. The province of Québec (Canada) recently undertook major transformations of its mental health care system. These transformations represent an opportunity to improve collaboration between families and health care practitioners and to understand which factors facilitate this collaboration. This article describes how families and decision makers perceive collaboration in the context of a major transformation of mental health services and identifies the factors that facilitate and hinder family collaboration.