Phase 4: Action Plan and Financial Implications
Phase 4: Action Plan and Financial Implications
Development of an Action Plan
At this juncture in the planning process, you have not only identified a need and defined the desired outcome for your project, but you have also assessed the various internal and external factors which influence the problem. All of this information will play an important role as you develop a plan of action to facilitate change.
Strategic Interventions to Facilitate Outcome Achievement
Much like a nursing care plan, a plan to guide change includes a detailed work schedule of activities, tasks, and interventions which are all designed to facilitate achievement of the stated outcome. These activities, tasks, and interventions can be referred to as an action plan, and will also include target dates for completion.
Clear Communication
The purpose of an action plan is to clarify for you (the project leader), your faculty or mentor and any other pertinent stakeholders, the specific plan of activities, tasks, and interventions which will be implemented, and when they are targeted to take place. If more than one person is involved in the implementation, the action plan can also serve as a communication tool to keep everyone on the same page, and may even denote ‘who’ is responsible for doing ‘what’, and ‘when’ those activities will be carried out.
Outputs and Deliverables
Within your action plan, you may have outputs or deliverables which are a necessary element in your planned change project (for example, the development of a new policy, staff education program, or teaching tool). You will include these outputs or deliverables within the action plan, as well as a date by which they should be attained or completed. Like other activities or interventions, outputs serve to facilitate achievement of the overarching project outcome. For example, a revised policy on catheter care and mandatory staff in-service sessions may facilitate achievement of an outcome geared toward the reduction of CAUTI on a particular unit.
Essential Resources
As you develop your action plan, consider the resources which will be necessary to actualize the plan. These may be human resources, financial resources, and/or material resources. Making note of the necessary resources will inform the project budget.
Helpful Reminders
As you develop an action plan, consider the following:
- What steps need to be taken to facilitate outcome achievement?
- What are the target dates for action steps, and who is responsible?
- What stakeholders need to be engaged in the process, and how will that engagement take place?
- What resources will be needed (human, financial, material)?
- How will these resources be secured and what expenses will be involved?
- Are there any special steps needed to assure that the necessary resources are available for use?
- Are there specific outputs that will be needed to facilitate the achievement of the overarching project outcome (such as a new policy or other deliverable)?