Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson - Movie Review Example

Running head: WHO MOVED Who Moved My Cheese: A Change Paper National Who Moved my Cheese: An Amazing Way to Deal withChange in Your Work and in Your Life, a motivational book by Spencer Johnson (2002), is written in the style of a parable or business fable. In it he uses two m ice and two “little people” as characters who exhibit four typical reactions to change in one’s work and life in general during their hunt for cheese. Using Spencer’s work and characters as reference, this paper discusses the impact of change on students and individuals in the healthcare environment. It does this by comparing situations and characters from the book to those in the author’s real life work situation in the health care profession. In the process a portrait emerges of how well or not so well the author and individuals associated with the book’s characters actually deal with change in their own lives and work environment. Discussion “Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights” (Kezzer, 2010). When assessing attitudes regarding current health care environments it can be helpful to look at the past for comparisons. The author can remember in growing up how her mother always reinforced the notion that the responsibility for a person’s health and for disease prevention rested primarily with parents. In her view the solutions were clear: Healthy diet, cleanliness, reasonable physical activity [from tilling the soil] and lots of fresh air. Obviously, a lot has changed since then. Discussions of healthcare nowadays include such complex. heady and diverse topics as patient safety, skyrocketing healthcare costs, rates of morbidity and mortality, healthcare consumerism and “E-health”, web-based nursing education, disparities in healthcare, and the intensification and rise of chronic diseases. Along with these stark changes comes an imperative question for today’s student nurse and today’s graduate nurse: where do I fit into all this? As a new graduate RN, I have doubts as to whether my dedication and hard bought nursing knowledge acquired through hours of clinical experience and practice will be enough, given the continual changing health care environment, to propel me up the career ladder. The ability to change, adapt and be flexible will be key assets both in adapting to these changes and, as a health professional, possibly affecting more positive changes in future. Similar to the characters of Sniff, Scurry and Haw, any student, as do I, should stoutly associate themselves with the behavioral patterns of these marvelous and adaptable characters, from their ability to use good instinct when smelling old cheese to finding, through trial and error--enjoying their cheese “in the moment,” being wise enough to know that all cheese comes and goes. For the author of this paper, cheese is family, good health, and a privileged career. If all fails, she can seek comfort in the fact that she gave her best and tried new things instead of sitting on the safe and comfortable fence. (The above paragraph needs citations from the book where this information is discussed. Remember, if it is a quote it needs author, date and page number. If it is paraphrased it still needs author and date. See APA guidelines) On the other hand it is not suffice to say that abilities to adapt and be flexible are the only qualities necessary to survive or affect change. The author has witnessed firsthand several individuals in her nursing career that have left the profession because they refuse to accept changes in the workplace environment. One concrete example is a high respected and regarded doctor with whom the author has worked—a thirty-year veteran of a particular healthcare facility. Like the character Hem, his “cheese” is his fixed and predictable routine at work. [needs citation here] When the new EHR System (Electronic Health Record) was implemented at the workplace he refused to accept this change from paperless to an e-healthcare system. Like Hem, he went from disbelief upon finding out the new system, to denial, and then to anger. The more important his cheese (the old routine) was to him, the tighter he held on to it. [need citation here]. The result was sad. He became irascible, irritated and eventually his stubbornness led to conflicts with other health professionals with whom he worked, including nurses. Eventually he left, but his behavior and either his inability or unwillingness to handle change became a sad example and daily reminder for other healthcare professionals who might be resistant to change. Conclusion The reality is, there is really only so much one can do to prepare for change. What we do know is that certainty and assurance are illusions and that it is impossible to estimate the impact of any change. The one truth and certainty is that if we are unable or unwilling to adapt to changes in the healthcare industry, as well as in our own lives, we make our existence in both arenas that much more difficult. We must at least make a personal effort to think about and consider the benefits of change. In essence, we must allow ourselves to change if we are ever to affect positive change ourselves. If we do not or can not, the likelihood of achieving a successful and fruitful care in an industry that is continually changing will be remote. [here I would end with a quote from the book that supports the final statements. Don’t forget to put author, date and page number] References Johnson, S. (2002). Who moved my cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life. New York: Putnam. Kezzer, P. (2010). Quotations about change. 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