Discussion: Introduction to Project Management

Consider the following list of skills and their importance in being an effective nurse:

• Analytical thinking and decision making
• Organization
• Motivation
• Flexibility
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Leadership
• Facilitation
• Time management
• Collaboration and negotiation
• Interpersonal skills

In actuality, this list came from a job description in project management. In daily nursing routines, nurses often apply many of the same skills that are common to project management.

In this Discussion, you are introduced to the value and use of project management in health care settings.

To prepare:

• Review the information in this week’s Learning Resources on the applications of project management in health care.
• Select an article from the Project Management Institute (PMI) website or the Walden Library databases that demonstrates how project management methodology can be applied in health care settings.
• Consider how you might communicate the value of project management in health care settings to a group of nurses who are unfamiliar with the discipline.
• Consider strategies you might employ to motivate nurses to use project management methodology.

By Day 3

Post by tomorrow 8/30/16 550 words with a minimum of 3 references from the list provided under Required Readings. Apply the level 1 headings as numbered below:

1) A brief summary of the article you selected (with reference).

2) Explain the beneficial application of project management methodology highlighted by the article.

3) Describe how you would communicate the value of project management to nurses who are unfamiliar with the discipline.

4) Generate at least two strategies for motivating nurses to utilize project management methodology.

Required Readings

Coplan, S., & Masuda, D. (2011). Project management for healthcare information technology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

• Chapter 1, “Introduction” (pp. 1–9)

 This chapter reviews the current state of the United States’ health care system and health care information technology and how project management, information technology, and change management can help improve the system.

• Chapter 2, “Integrating Project, Information Technology, and Change Management” (pp. 11–31)

 This chapter examines management methodologies and areas of knowledge in the different types of management. The chapter correlates each process group with a specific knowledge area.

Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (5th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Author.

• Chapter 1, “Introduction” (pp. 1–18)

 This chapter provides definitions of projects and project management terms and concepts. The authors explain the relationship between project management and the other forms of management.

• Chapter 2, “Organizational Influences and Project Life Cycle” (pp. 19–46)

This chapter explores the primary structure of a project. The chapter describes the project life cycle and organizational influences on project management.

Dimick, C. (2011). The project management plus: Project management skills create opportunities for HIM professionals. Journal of AHIMA, 82(8), 28–31. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

 This article provides insight into how project management skills may be applied in many jobs. The author demonstrates how health information management and project management impact one another.

Gunasekaran, S. (2008). Project management: The importance of project management in EMR implementations should never be undervalued. Healthcare Informatics, 25(2), 86, 88.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

 This article stresses the importance of various project management methodologies in the implementation of an electronic medical record system. The article provides basic recommendations, such as defining success criteria, organizing work on a weekly and monthly basis, making a project calendar public, and standardizing status reports.

Hills, L. S. (2010). Forty project management strategies for the medical practice staff. The Journal of Medical Practice Management, 25(5), 271–275.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases

 This article provides 40 project management strategies that may be used in managing large and small projects in medical practices. The author also describes common errors that medical practices commit in their attempts at project management.

Ho, J. (2010). Project management in health informatics. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 151, 413–424. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases

 This article describes project management’s role in modern management and health informatics. The author describes the project lifecycle, the process of developing a plan, risk management, and important communication processes.

Kropf, R., & Scalzi, G. (2008). Great project management = IT success. Physician Executive, 34(3), 38–40. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases

 In this article, the authors examine how project management can save time and money during the implementation of information technology projects. The authors stress the importance of assembling a well-trained team to create systems and monitor project progress.

Overgaard, P. M. (2010). Get the keys to successful project management. Nursing Management, 41(6), 53–54. 

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases

 This article explains how project management techniques can be used in the nursing process. The author specifies the overlap in the domains of nursing and project management.

Sa Couto, J. (2008). Project management can help to reduce costs and improve quality in health care services. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 14(1), 48–52.

Retrieved from theWalden Library databases. 

In this article, the author discusses how project management can bring productivity gains to the health care field. The author explores how adopting project management in health care could impact the work of physicians.

Su, C.-H., & Yeh, N.-C. (2008). Exploring project management as a practical solution to long-term care service. Social Work in Health Care, 47(3), 232–258.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases

 This article examines how project management methodology can provide practical solutions for the field of long-term care management. The authors also discuss how project management methodology can be applied to Medicare practices.

Suhonen, M., & Paasivaara, L. (2011). Nurse managers’ challenges in project management. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(8), 1028–1036.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases

 In this article, the authors explore the role of nurse managers in project management. The article highlights the three primary challenges that nurse managers face in project management in health care.

Microsoft Corporation. (2012a). Getting started: Introduction to project management. Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project-help/getting-started-introduction-to-project-management-HA010359477.aspx?CTT=3

 This web page provides an overview of basic project management concepts. It also provides links to other pages that demonstrate how to apply the aforementioned concepts in Microsoft Project 2010.

Project Management Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2013, from http://www.pmi.org/

 This is the website of the Project Management Institute (PMI). The website contains resources and information for PMI certifications; professional development; community involvement; business solutions; project management guides and standards; and project management articles, tools, and templates.