- Get prepared. Gather a team around who are all going to be champions and support the project, with a designated lead. Set up regular meetings to review progress including performance metrics. Key people could include an obstetric consultant, an anaesthetist, a midwifery matron, intrapartum midwives, obstetric trainees.
- Get high level buy in and support – explain your plans to the senior leadership team. This could include the head and director of midwifery, clinical director, labour ward lead, obstetric anaesthetic lead.
- Create a timeline and a plan.
- Consider undertaking some simple diagnostics to understand the culture of your unit (links to diagnostic tools here):
- Identify your potential barriers and consider solutions to overcome them (eg if a particular staff group are resistant to change, consider a presentation at a key meeting).
- Collate your campaign materials. These can include posters, pens, T-shirts for the implementation team, and business cards to hand out to staff and raise awareness. Merchandise works!
- Plan your launch day – including ways of disseminating the ideas to staff. This will usually involve an introductory email to all staff, followed by presence on the shop floor, at handovers. Plan presentations at teaching sessions including CTG teaching and in house skills training.
- Get baking – everyone loves cake and it helps staff feel cared for and nurtured while you’re on the shop floor explaining the change ideas.
- Identify early adopters and recruit them as champions.
- Celebrate wins, keep staff updated with (hopefully) good news.
- Be receptive to feedback and be willing to change your approach if it isn’t working.
Link to RCOG home