create a 5–7 slide elevator-speech style presentation that you will present to stakeholders that provides an overview of policy implementation, including rationale and data that reflect the need for the new policy. Second, create a detailed, annotated training agenda for the pilot team that will accompany your presentation.
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Introduction
Training and educating those within an organization who are responsible for implementing and working with changes in organizational policy is a critical step in ensuring that prescribed changes have their intended benefit. A leader in a healthcare profession must be able to apply effective leadership, management, and educational strategies to ensure that colleagues and subordinates will be prepared to do the work that is asked of them.
As a master's-level healthcare practitioner, you may be asked to design training sessions to help ensure the smooth implementation of any number of initiatives in your healthcare setting. The ability to create an agenda that will ensure your training goals will be met, and will fit into the allotted time, is a valuable skill for preparing colleagues to be successful in their practice.
This assessment offers you an opportunity to develop and implement effective educational strategies.
Instructions
In this assessment, inform the leadership stakeholders of a planned pilot project to test the implementation of your new policy. Describe the policy in an elevator-speech style, explain why the policy is needed, and why the group was chosen for the pilot. Then, develop a detailed training agenda that will describe the training needed, including any resources, number and times of classes (including length) and if there will be any skills training and return demonstrations or written exams. Connect the pilot to the benchmarks you will measure. As a result of this presentation, stakeholders are expected to:
• Understand the organizational policy and practice guidelines to be implemented.
• Understand the importance of the policy to improving quality or outcomes.
• Understand how the designated role group is key to successful implementation.
• Have awareness of the necessary knowledge and skills for successful implementation.
Elevator Speech Presentation
Record a 5-minute recorded slide presentation for your elevator speech. Be sure to include:
• A brief description of the policy and why it is necessary to improve benchmark metrics or comply with new regulations.
• Include a description of the pilot group and why they were chosen to demonstrate the change in workflow and improve quality of care.
• Describe the metrics that will be used to determine current practice and compare it after the training has ended.
• Summarize the training implementation.
Annotated Training Agenda
You will also develop an agenda for the training sessions, including:
• Length and number of class sessions.
• Location of classes—simulation lab, classroom, et cetera.
• The resources needed for the courses, any teaching staff, equipment, technology, or supplies needed.
• What teaching strategies will be employed to measure learner success, including any check-off lists or written exams (you do not have to provide the actual exam)?
• How will employees be scheduled and who will maintain records of completion, any grades, or skills verification?
• Any credit that will be provided to the staff (that is, continuing education credits).
• Plans to train the rest of the staff and new employees following the pilot.
• The follow-up plan for assessing sustainability.
The strategy summary and annotated training agenda requirements outlined below correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, be sure to note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.
• Explain the desired impact of implementing the new policy and practice guidelines on benchmark performance.
o How will the change be implemented?
o How will the new policy affect the daily work routines and responsibilities of the role for the pilot group?
o How will the policy and guidelines help improve the quality of care or outcomes and how will success be measured?
• Explain the selected pilot group's role and importance in implementing the new policy and practice guidelines.
o Why is the work and buy-in of the role group important for successful implementation?
o How could you help the group feel empowered by their involvement during implementation?
• Summarize evidence-based strategies to promote stakeholder buy-in and prepare them for the implementation of a new policy based on practice guidelines and regulations.
o Why will these strategies be effective?
Full Answer Section
Slide 2: The Critical Problem: A Growing Crisis
- Slide Title: The Unspoken Epidemic: Adolescent Mental Health Crisis
- Visual: A stark but sensitive infographic or data visualization showing rising rates of adolescent mental health emergencies or suicide attempts. Perhaps a headline about national concerns.
- Data Points (on slide):
- Adolescent suicide rates are tragically increasing nationwide.
- Our current screening for suicide risk is inconsistent, leading to potential missed opportunities for intervention.
- Lack of standardized safety planning puts vulnerable youth at risk for readmission or adverse events post-discharge.
- Narrative (Speaker Notes - ~45 seconds): As you know, the mental health crisis among adolescents is a national tragedy, with alarming increases in suicide rates and emergency psychiatric presentations. Within our own hospital, we've identified a critical gap: our current approach to assessing and managing suicide risk in admitted adolescents is fragmented and inconsistent. This lack of standardization means we're potentially missing vital signs of distress, and more importantly, we're not consistently equipping these vulnerable youth and their families with clear, actionable safety plans upon discharge. This isn't just about compliance; it's about our fundamental commitment to patient safety and preventing harm, ensuring no adolescent leaves our care without a robust plan to stay safe.
Slide 3: Our Solution: The New Protocol
- Slide Title: Our Proactive Solution: Standardized Protocol
- Visual: A flowchart illustrating the new, streamlined process: Admission -> Standardized Screening -> Risk Stratification -> Safety Planning -> Discharge/Referral.
- Key Policy Elements (on slide):
- Universal Screening: All adolescent admissions (ages 12-17) will receive a standardized, evidence-based suicide risk screening within 4 hours of admission.
- Risk Stratification: Clear guidelines for low, moderate, and high risk.
- Standardized Safety Planning: Mandatory use of a templated safety plan, collaboratively developed with the patient and family/caregivers.
- Documentation: Consistent documentation within the EHR.
- Narrative (Speaker Notes - ~45 seconds): Our proposed solution is a standardized Suicide Risk Screening and Safety Planning Protocol. This policy mandates universal screening for all adolescents upon admission using a validated tool. Based on screening results, clear guidelines will direct staff to stratify risk levels. Crucially, for all identified at-risk adolescents, nurses will collaboratively develop a templated, comprehensive safety plan with the patient and their family. This plan will include personalized coping strategies, identified supports, and clear crisis contacts. This systematic approach ensures every adolescent is assessed, and every at-risk individual leaves with a concrete plan to manage distress and seek help, thereby improving patient safety and contributing directly to our zero-harm initiatives.
Slide 4: The Pilot Group: Pediatric Medical-Surgical Nurses
- Slide Title: Our Champions: The Pediatric Med-Surg Nurses Pilot
- Visual: Image of nurses interacting compassionately with young patients or collaborating as a team.
- Why This Group? (on slide):
- Frontline Access: First point of contact for nearly all adolescent admissions.
- High Volume & Diverse Presentation: Regularly care for adolescents with various medical conditions, where mental health needs often co-occur.
- Clinical Acumen: Highly skilled in holistic assessment and patient interaction.
- Culture of Safety: Already committed to patient well-being and proactive care.
- Narrative (Speaker Notes - ~45 seconds): We propose piloting this new protocol with our pediatric medical-surgical nurses. Why them? Because they are our frontline champions. They are the first and often most consistent point of contact for nearly every adolescent admitted to our hospital. These nurses regularly care for a high volume of adolescents with diverse medical conditions, where underlying or co-occurring mental health challenges are increasingly common. Their existing clinical acumen and deep commitment to patient safety make them the ideal group to test, refine, and champion this critical workflow change. Their buy-in and practical feedback are absolutely essential for fine-tuning this policy, making it effective and ultimately scalable across the organization.
Slide 5: Measuring Success: Our Benchmarks
- Slide Title: Quantifying Impact: Key Performance Indicators
- Visual: A graph showing "Before" and "After" sections for key metrics.
- Key Metrics (on slide):
- Baseline (Current Practice):
- % of adolescent admissions with documented suicide risk screening.
- % of at-risk adolescents with a comprehensive safety plan documented.
- 30-day readmission rates for suicide-related concerns.
- Nurse self-reported confidence in suicide risk assessment.
- Target (Post-Pilot):
- Increase documented screenings to ≥95%.
- Increase documented safety plans to ≥90%.
- Reduce 30-day readmissions for suicide-related concerns by 10%.
- Increase nurse confidence scores by 20%.
- Narrative (Speaker Notes - ~45 seconds): To objectively measure the policy's impact, we've identified clear benchmark metrics. Our current practice shows variability in documented screenings and safety plans. Following pilot implementation and training, we aim to significantly increase our documented universal screening rates to over 95% and comprehensive safety plan completion to over 90% for at-risk adolescents. The ultimate measure of success will be a measurable reduction in 30-day readmission rates for suicide-related concerns. We'll also track nurse self-reported confidence levels in performing these assessments and developing safety plans. These quantifiable measures will demonstrate the policy's effectiveness in improving patient outcomes and streamlining our workflow.