The Nurse as a Change Agent

If we compare two rather different strategies that a change agent might use — coercion and participation — the attentive reader will notice that the latter is my preferred option, since it empowers participants and they own the changes. However, where the power is clear and the change agent has control of the rewards, then coercion can be effective, although it is prescriptive and tends to reduce the contribution that staff can make to the change process. Indeed, sometimes, due to very short time demands, it is essential. This chapter considers the various roles of the change agent and, through an in-depth case study, demonstrates the way the participative style can be used, by an external change agent.