Evidence-based practice has been an integral component of effective, safe and efficient patient care. In promoting the use of evidence-based practice, appropriate strategies should be used to ensure a successful implementation of a proposed evidence-based practice project. Central to the implementation is the use of a change models (Collaborative et al., 2017). Therefore, this paper seeks to identify and discuss the stages of a change model. In addition, it will further describe how the steps would be applied in the proposed change implementation in the surgical suite patients and preoperative health care providers who are exposed to surgical smoke (P) by providing education and utilizing smoke evacuation systems on all surgical cases (I) compared to not using a smoke evacuation system in surgical patients (C) leading to lower exposure of surgical smoke contaminants (O) over 1 year (T). Whereas there are several change models, Kurt Lewi’s change model is appropriately applied in the evidence-based proposal project.
The implementation of change in the surgical suite patients and preoperative health care providers who are exposed to surgical smoke by providing education and utilizing smoke evacuation systems on all surgical cases, compared to not using a smoke evacuation system in surgical cases leading to lower exposure of surgical smoke contaminants over 1 year will be done through the application of the Kurt Lewin’s model.
According to Kurt Lewin, change is an inevitable phenomenon in any organization. Further, he posits accomplished change must be controlled through the triple-level model for change management (Teguh et al., 2019). The model comprises the concepts of unfreezing, changing, and refreezing to transform new behaviors into an organization’s new norms.
The relevance of the model is founded on the practicability and simplicity congruent to the evidence-based practice for comprehending the change process within healthcare. The model’s concepts underpin robust and practical evidence researched and tested change intervention in a health care domain (Hidayat et al., 2020). The ideas are modeled in a way that befits the needs of the proposed project of changing the perceptions of the stakeholders working in the surgical suite without a smoke evacuation system to move to the new, desired level of utilizing smoke evacuation systems on all surgical cases (Tokuda et al., 2020). The advantages of the smoke evacuating systems are critical in surgical suites.
Kurt developed a practical and straightforward framework for change with three stages: the unfreezing level, the changing level, and the refreezing level. According to Kurt, the process of change implies forming the feeling and the idea that a transition is needed, then moving toward the new, proposed level of practices, and lastly, consolidating that new practice as the standard. Preliminary to a change application, it must go through unfreezing level to neutralize the resistance by sensitization to undo the status quo that hinders progress and development (Cumming et al., 2016). Communication is critical and essential at this level so that stakeholders can become educated and informed about the expected change, its rationale, and how it will benefit the whole system so they can be motivated to be a part of the change.
After the unfreezing, Lewin posits that an organization transits to the new stage of state. The application of the change marks the step. At this point of changing level, individuals start to learn the new norms, practices, and manner of thinking (Hussain et al., 2018). Thus education, communication, support, and time are critical for stakeholders to become acquainted with the change. Similarly, the change must be managed and executed. Throughout this level, individuals need to be reminded of the reasons for the change.
Lewin referred to the final stage of his change model as freezing. The changes made to organizational processes are accepted and refrozen as the new practice. The level is critical to ensure that people do not go back to old ways of thinking or doing preliminary to applying the change (Hussain et al., 2018). The change is cemented to be the institution’s and people’s culture.
The unfreezing stage will be applied in the sensitization of the preoperati
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