Outcomes from a pilot project on workplace culture observations: getting evaluation and outcomes on the agenda

摘要

Aims and objectives: The overall aim of this mini project was to collaboratively engage in a learning activity that would provide evidence about the workplace culture to be used to inform other aspects of practice development work. The objectives were: to enhance observation skills; contribute to a team development activity; share and develop critical questions for use with local practice development action planning and build up active commitment to practice development work within the group. Design: A small pilot project embedded within a larger complex emancipatory practice development programme. Method: An unstructured observation method was used and followed up with facilitated critical reflection and dialogue. Results: The overall theme was Inconsistency and Contradictions. Seven contradictory sub-themes were found: light and dark; cleanliness and clutter; quiet and noise; calmness and busyness; conversation and chatter; communal and bedside; respect and disrespect. Conclusions: This pilot project shows that multi-dimensional small scale outcomes can be identified very early on in practice development. Testing and developing a practice development method and processes for wider scale use in an organisation is an important feature of micro level practice development within healthcare organisations.