Role and Engagement of Stakeholders

Projects thrive on interaction, input, and collective efforts from all stakeholders. Stakeholders involve all individuals who may affect or be affected by the outcomes of a project (Kumar & Vinati, 2024). During project management, stakeholder involvement is analyzed by managers based on the power, interest, and influence they may have on the project activities. This approach helps managers to define communication strategies, tailor engagement plans, and adjust the efforts of each group effectively  (Petkovic et al., 2023).

The implementation of this project will involve both internal and external stakeholders whose insights align with the organization’s overarching objectives. Stakeholder groups will include individuals from the administration, project beneficiaries like patients, educators, the information technology department, and payers/regulators.

Roles of Stakeholders

Stakeholders involvement in various aspects of project management is crucial in successful planning, execution, monitoring, and evaluation of outcomes. Stakeholders help in defining the scope of the project and objectives while providing input on the goals of the project (Kumar & Vinati, 2024). Stakeholders like administrators are crucial in providing resources and ongoing support during the implementation and evaluation of the project. Another important role of stakeholders is to ensure correct decisions are made at each phase of the project. Some stakeholders like educators offer specialized knowledge and expertise necessary to achieve desired outcomes.

Quality Improvement Within Health Care Environments

External stakeholders like payers and regulatory bodies are important in leading the implementation of new working practices (Petkovic et al., 2023). They are responsible for engaging new business units and regular review of implemented practices. Lastly, stakeholders are tasked with facilitating effective communication and engagement among project team members. For example, they ensure timely and transparent communication, engage with the project team, and address any concerns or conflicts.

Identification of Stakeholders

Dr. F. Michaels, Infection Control Specialist. The project deals with preventing IV or central line-induced bloodstream infections making Dr. Fleming a key stakeholder. His role will involve overseeing the implementation of antiseptic-containing curos-caps measures and monitoring the new rates of infection that may arise. He provides expertise on infection control measures, helps in designing the study, and analyzes infection rate data.

Morgan J.G, Infection Control Nurse. An infection control nurse is responsible for preventing and managing healthcare-associated infections within healthcare settings. Christine will be tasked with developing the protocol for implementing the proposed changes and monitoring compliance with hygiene practices associated with IV/central lines.

Emily M.K, Chief Nursing Officer. The CNO will be an important member of the team because of her influence on nursing practices within the hospital. Her support for the project will ensure the new changes will be accepted by staff and promote the achievement of set goals. She will also serve to communicate any changes to nursing staff and address concerns or barriers that may arise.

K Brown, Clinical Nurse Educator. Clinical education is an important aspect of every project implementation in healthcare. The nurse educator will be tasked with ensuring that nursing staff are competent in the new disinfection technique, provide hands-on training, and assist in troubleshooting issues.

Moreen R.B, Information Technology Specialist. The utilization of technology will be an important part of this project. The IT specialist will ensure that electronic health records (EHR) systems are updated to reflect new protocols, assist with data collection tools, and address any IT-related issues.

Reflection – Evidence of the experiences you had while preparing for the CPE

List of Stakeholders

The stakeholders who will be interested in the outcomes of this project include:

• Infection control specialist
• Infection control nurse
• Patients and families
• Patient advocates
• Regulatory bodies like the CMS.

Promoting stakeholder participation

Stakeholder engagement is crucial for successful strategic planning and it involves an ongoing approach of listening, communicating, and collaborating. To ensure the participation of stakeholders, the first step will involve identifying each stakeholder’s interest, influence, and impact on the project (Hollman et al., 2022). Employing various communication methods and providing regular updates will ensure the members are engaged. Early involvement of stakeholders is among the best strategies to promote their participation (Kumar & Vinati, 2024).

Holding regular meetings and gathering feedback from the stakeholders will ensure their participation. Apart from these strategies, fostering collaborative partnerships through building relationships and establishing trust will promote their participation. Lastly, recognizing and acknowledging their contribution at each key project milestone will help to promote their participation (Kumar & Vinati, 2024). Measures like publicly acknowledging their efforts and supporting stakeholders through awards, certificates, or thank-you notes will help to promote their engagement.

Possible concerns/barriers from stakeholders

Engaging stakeholders effectively requires anticipating and addressing potential concerns and barriers. One of the concerns that may arise is the lack of awareness or understanding regarding the goals and objectives of the project. Conducting orientation during the first meeting and providing regular updates will help to solve this problem (Petkovic et al., 2023).

Fear of increased workload, especially among the nursing staff may be a key concern. Ensuring adequate staffing support and simplifying implementation processes will neutralize this challenge. The newly established protocols may also face resistance from staff and management based on the workload and expected financial spending (Petkovic et al., 2023). Providing evidence-based information about the new changes and properly engaging stakeholders may solve such issues.

Strategies for Gaining Stakeholder Support

Gaining stakeholder support during project implementation can be achieved through early and continuous engagement (Hollman et al., 2022). The stakeholders must be kept informed using regular updates on progress using diverse communication tools. Clear and transparent communication is another strategy that can promote open sharing of ideas and building of trust.

Utilizing communication methods like meetings, emails, and newsletters will ensure stakeholders are kept informed. Providing training and education is another key strategy for gaining their support. Training focusing on the roles and procedures involved in the project will gain the attention of stakeholders (Kumar & Vinati, 2024). Lastly, setting clear channels of feedback delivery through surveys, suggestion boxes, or regular live feedback sessions will be used. This strategy will show stakeholders that their input is valued and promote their support.

References

Hollmann, S., Regierer, B., Bechis, J., Tobin, L., & D’Elia, D. (2022). Ten simple rules on how to develop a stakeholder engagement plan. PLoS Computational Biology, 18(10), e1010520. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010520

Kumar, M., & Vinati, V. (2024). Stakeholder engagement and collaboration in health policy implementation: Lessons learned. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 104-119. https://doi.org/10.52710/seejph.491

Petkovic, J., Magwood, O., Lytvyn, L., Khabsa, J., Concannon, T. W., Welch, V., Todhunter-Brown, A., Palm, M. E., Akl, E. A., Mbuagbaw, L., Arayssi, T., Avey, M. T., Marusic, A., Morley, R., Saginur, M., Slingers, N., Texeira, L., Ben Brahem, A., Bhaumik, S., Bou Akl, I., … Tugwell, P. (2023). Key issues for stakeholder engagement in the development of health and healthcare guidelines. Research Involvement and Engagement, 9(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-023-00433-6