How CNOs Can Manage Change Management

Crisp, clear communication is key for CNOs who are trying to handle their change management processes, says this CNE.

Mergers, reorganizations, and restructurings always take a toll on the workforce in any industry, but especially in healthcare.

Periods of rapid change in an organization can leave staff feeling confused, anxious, and unsure about new responsibilities and reporting structures. However, in healthcare, there's an additional variable: patients.

Robust change management processes are essential for CNOs to implement to help nurses, since they play such a large role in patient care in health systems.

According to Stefanie Beavers, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive at OU Health, and HealthLeaders Exchange member, a key focus of the change management process is solidifying organizational identity. In 2018, OU Health became a locally owned and managed nonprofit. They began integrating hospitals, clinics and physicians into a united health system, living into the role of an academic health system while building an inaugural executive team to lead the enterprise. 

"So much change was happening within this health system, and there was really a need to solidify the identity," Beavers said. "We had a lot of change in executive leadership across the organization, and we went on a journey of cultural transformation."

Aligning identity

After becoming the chief nurse executive at OU Health in the spring of 2023, Beavers learned the importance of aligning identity within an organization.

"It was really important that I took some time to pause and reflect and understand, where have our teams been on this journey? What has been their experience?" Beavers said, "and then, what is the identity and true north of the organization as we move forward, and how do I intersect that in the most purposeful manner for our nursing frontline care delivery teams?"

Beavers noted that OU Health was developing and identifying what its mission and vision were, and its identity as an academic health system. So, Beavers focused on what this could mean for the nursing workforce, and how to combat confusion about policies and expectations.

"You've got to make sure that there is a strong connection to purpose for our frontline care delivery teams," Beavers said, "because one thing that does not change when you go through reorganizations, acquisitions, and mergers, is there are still patients to take care of that are in need of our services."

Transitioning with patients

According to Beavers, CNOs need to lead through relational change to make major organizational changes run smoothly while maintaining a high standard of patient care. The most important focus should be building strong relationships with patients, families, and the community, while maintaining access to care. Nurse leaders must also emphasize that patients are at the center of everything that goes on in a health system.

"No matter your industry, I will say everything boils down to people and process," Beavers said. "So, how do we wrap around our people and our workforce to make sure that they have processes that they need to deliver that high quality of care?"

Beavers also emphasized that nurse leaders must understand their data during times of transition. CNOs should identify data points and metrics that have changed between the prior organization and the present one.

"You've got to go back to the basics sometimes of looking at your core quality measures," Beavers said. "It's an intersect of that professional practice and professional identity for nursing, but also making sure you're driving through data and metrics that are measuring your performance with patients."

Beavers also believes that being present for the workforce is critical during organizational changes. CNOs should be clear about messaging, and what nurses can expect from leadership and the revamped organization.

"How are we present for the workforce? How is the voice heard of what they're experiencing?" Beavers said.

Communicating clearly

Crisp, clear communication is critical for CNOs who are trying to handle their change management processes, according to Beavers. Teamwork is another key component.

"I am very fortunate to be part of a very strong executive leadership team of remarkable human beings with experience from all over the country, all different backgrounds," Beavers said, "and it takes that element and being part of a strong team and how we manage each other up, [and] how we recognize how every different division is sitting within the organization."

At OU Health, Beavers prioritized how to disseminate new policy and priority information to the nursing teams in meaningful and purposeful ways.

"You can have strategy all day long, but you have to be able to articulate it and communicate it clearly to your teams and make sure they know the end goal," Beavers said.

Successful nursing programs take the entire organization and help from all disciplines to uplift nurses and make them successful at the bedside and in all aspects of care delivery.

"I'm also very fortunate that I have an amazing dyad partner in our chief medical officer," Beavers said. "I think it's important that our workforce and our team see us as a unified leadership team so that we're leaning in and leading together, and we're wrapping around and we're recognizing what's a challenge."

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