Nursing & Healthcare

Biography

Lori S. Anderson is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at Augusta University College of Nursing. As Associate Dean, she ensures quality and excellence of the college’s nursing programs and provides leadership and vision in the development, implementation and evaluation of all academic programs. During consolidation, she led various faculty teams with the creation of the BSN curriculum and was instrumental with the various accreditation requirements that ensued. She has over twenty-nine years of nursing experience in various roles ranging from staff to administration and academia.

Research Interest

Leading change to create a singular identity between two diverse cultures is challenging. During a consolidation of two Bachelors of Science in Nursing programs, the ADKAR Change Management Model provided a framework for guiding and assisting individuals through the change process. By examining Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Abilities, and Reinforcement, leadership can foster the desired behavior by assessing individual needs to promote new ways of thinking and working. Each of the five sequential areas of focus presents with unique challenges that may need to be addressed by leadership. Behaviors exhibited in each element during this consolidation illustrate the concepts and measurements used by leadership to move the consolidation efforts forward. When the five elements are achieved, faculty are engaged and energized; however, if any element is weak or missing, the change progression can be undermined and halted. Lessons learned by leadership involved in the consolidation of these two programs included: respect and patience is needed as individuals move through transitional change at different paces; clear, honest and frequent communication is imperative; allow faculty to participate and help with problem solving; and to realize that losses continue in many forms, yet remember to celebrate the successes.