Phelp LPNtoRN 6e

CHAPTER 3 • Adapting to Change 67

an LPN who has been working in a skilled nursing facility for 10 years has been passed over several times to move up to a charge nurse position, even though the LPN oriented the newly graduated RNs who have been hired and quickly promoted to the position the LPN has desired. This situation has caused disappointment and motivates the LPN to return to school to pursue an RN license. DESIRE FOR AUTONOMY AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT The desire for autonomy and self-improvement can also activate change. A person may feel stagnated and powerless in a particular position and thus may take appropriate steps to change the situation. For instance, a certified nursing assistant may enjoy their work but not feel able to influence policy or procedures. They may also want to learn more and take on additional responsibility. This sense of powerlessness and the need for self improvement is a potent factor for change. THINKING CRITICALLY Identify factors that have motivated you to make a change in your life. Give examples of changes that you have made. Analyze the results of these changes and how certain behaviors or functions were affected. TYPES OF CHANGE There are various types of change that an individual or organization can face. Some are developmental; some are unplanned; and some are planned. From your own experi ences, you can probably identify some of these. The following sections define three types of change that are generally encountered. DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGE Developmental change is change in which a person proceeds through stages in a fairly predictable order. Tasks are identified for each stage that must be accomplished to com plete a stage. Examples of this type of change were described in the previous chapter. These stages of change can be due to age or changes in family structure. UNPLANNED CHANGE Unplanned change can refer to a positive or negative, desired or undesired change that was not planned. An example of positive unplanned change would be an unexpected promotion within an organization, whereas a negative unplanned stage might be unan nounced layoffs at a place of employment. Two types of unplanned change are forced change and spontaneous change. Forced Change Forced change is a type of change that is imposed on an individual or organization that requires action, often of an immediate or emergent nature. An example would be a fire in a person’s home, in which the entire home and its contents are lost. Family members are forced to consider rebuilding the home and replacing lost items, as well as realizing that everything is forever different.

Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of the content is prohibited.