hen a given problem, idea, need, or suggestion is straight forward and easy to resolve within a few days to a week—then just do it.
In Shared Governance, we use "Just-Do-It" as a simple method to resolve Level 1: Problems, Ideas, Needs, and Suggestions (PINS).
What do we do? Just-Do-It involves identifying and completing a series of basic tasks until done (e.g., making phone calls, purchases within budget, getting feedback).
How to get started: Download the Just-Do-It Template and follow the step-by-step guide below to track your progress and share updates with the team.
After PINS have been discussed and approved by the team in huddle, work together to identify one or more Task Owners by asking “Who does this PIN impact?” Engage those individuals most impacted to work on the it.
Fill out and update a Just-Do-It Task List for the PINS and post them together on the Team Board.
Identify tasks by clarifying whether you are addressing a Problem, Idea, Need, or Suggestion, and ask, “What are the small steps (tasks) we think we will need to take to address it?” (add/change them along the way). Write each step/task to your Task List.
Work on completing the tasks throughout the week as you can, and mark your progress as you go:
- Do – When the task is identified but not started
- Doing – When the team or individual is actively working on it
- Done – When the task is completed
Give progress updates to the team during Shared Governance huddle until the Task List is complete. If you can't make huddle, tell your Team Chair and they can give the update for you.
Upon completion, review the completed Task List during huddle, discuss what worked and what didn’t, share lessons learned, and remove Task List from the board.
Don't forget to celebrate—every completed PIN is a big team win! 😊
Adapted from: Boi, L., Brayko, C. The "How To" of Problem Solving: Strategies for Facilitating Continuous Improvement. Accelerate Learning Community (2022).
Mary-Jean (Gigi) Austria
Kripa Kuncheria
Kim Mahoney
The team has worked hard to post problems, ideas, needs, and suggestions on the Team Board. Now what? Magnet program director Gigi Austria and colleagues share a host of resources to guide you from Post-It Note to completion.
Plan-Do-Study-Act is a simple approach for testing a change that is great for first-time improvers and low-stakes problems. Magnet program director Gigi Austria and project management experts Kripa Kuncheria and Kim Mahoney share a step-by-step guide and helpful templates to get started.
Magnet Program Director Mary-Jean (Gigi) Austria explains how Nursing Shared Governance provides support for knowledge sharing, clinical skill building, and collaborative decision-making closest to the point of care.