Educating to manage the accelerated change environment effectively: Part 1

Without appropriate educational preparation, nurse managers may not have the competencies to effectively manage accelerated change that is so pervasive on the front lines of healthcare organizations in transformation. Part 1 of this article describes the findings from an extensive literature review of nursing, business, and higher education literature on the subject of change management. A comprehensive reference list is provided. Part 2 reports the results of a Delphi study from which baccalaureate-prepared nurse manager experts and nurse educator experts in baccalaureate nursing programs validated what linear and nonlinear change management concepts they believed were relevant in managing change in today's dynamic environment. With key roles as organizational change agents, staff development educators and administrators can use the validated concepts to develop educational offerings to promote effective change management.