Pamela Treister
New York Institute of Technology, USA
Title: Leadership and change theory: Implementing change in nursing education
Biography
Biography: Pamela Treister
Abstract
The use of leadership and change theory can assist in implementing changes in nursing education. Nurse educators want to prepare their nursing students to enter the clinical workforce as registered nurses. Discovering the knowledge retention gaps can help in implementation of different ways to teach and maintain knowledge retention. According to Burns (as referenced by Doody & Doody), “Transformational leadership is a process that motives followers by appealing to higher ideas and moral values where the leader has a deep set of internal values and ideas and is persuasive at motivating followers in a way that sustains the greater good rather than their own interests (2012, p.1212). Along with leadership theory, change theory can help nursing faculty collaborate and find inventive ways to help their students learn. Lewin’s change theory, (as referenced by Mitchell), stated the three main parts of changing a system: unfreezing, moving and refreezing (2013, p. 32). Roger’s expanded on Lewin’s change theory further (as referenced by Mitchell), stating how unfreezing was really an awareness of the problem with a necessity for change (2013, p. 33). Roger’s saw moving as interest, evaluation and trial – which is how changes takes place (Mitchell, p. 33). Lastly, Roger’s saw re-freezing as adoption – finalizing the change and putting it into practice (Mitchell, p. 33). Using both Lewin’s and Roger’s theories can help nurse educators explore different methods of teaching, in order to assist students in retaining the necessary knowledge to become a safe and caring registered nurses.