Project Management Plan Introduction

A project management plan is integral in all project phases, from planning and initiation
to implementation and evaluation to outcome dissemination. A project management plan
systematically and clearly outlines the project’s objectives, all the activities (primary and
secondary) that will be undertaken, schedules, scope, resources, risk management,
communication, budget, stakeholders, deliverables, and several other components (Moran et al.,
2023). At its core, a project management plan is a roadmap that guides the project, ensuring
stakeholders and project team members understand their roles in helping achieve the project’s
scope, objectives, and deliverables.
My practicum project primarily focuses on hypertension management for at-risk
populations through patient education. The primary issue I intend to address is medication
management among hypertensive patients by improving staff knowledge around elements of
patient education for medication compliance among at-risk populations. The measurable
outcome is staff knowledge of patient education about medication adherence. The project
training modules (intervention) have already been developed during the initial phase. The
module focuses on improving staff knowledge in four core areas: hypertension as a disease,
medication adherence principles, communication skills, and patient education strategies. Staff
knowledge on these four items will be assessed at the end of the 11-week implementation period.
This paper summarizes the project management plan (weekly activities) for the implementation
phase, examines an appropriate project management tool that will assist in designing and
planning the project, and identifies SMART objectives to lead the project implementation.

Summary

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Project Management Tool
A Gantt chart is the most appropriate project management tool for the implementation
phase. A Gantt chart is suitable because it offers a visual representation of the project’s
implementation activities and timelines, including start and end dates. Ideally, this can provide
insights into the sequence of activities and the project’s overall duration (11 weeks). Additionally,
a Gantt chart emphasizes the need to complete tasks before proceeding to the next. Task
dependency can help in effectively managing workflows and avoiding delays. A Gantt chart can
also facilitate resource allocation, effective communication, progress tracking, and informed
decision-making (Croft, 2022).
A Project Management Plan
This project implementation phase will run for 11 weeks, from 27 May 2024 (week 1) to
mid-August (week 11). The following is a list of projected goals for each week. They include:
● Week 1: To conduct a pre-training assessment to establish learning staff
knowledge or baseline data and learning needs and introduce project
goals/objectives/timelines
● Week 2: To deliver education on hypertension as a disease, including causes and
potential impacts
● Week 3: To educate staff on the significance of medication adherence in
hypertension management and review compliance barriers and how to overcome
them
● Week 4: To provide training on evidence-based practices to bolster medication
adherence

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● Week 5: To educate clinicians on the best communication approaches when
delivering patient education and to offer role-playing exercises to test and apply
communication skills in multiple scenarios
● Week 6: To teach cultural competence during communication and its implications
for patient adherence
● Week 7: To teach effective patient education approaches for improving
medication compliance
● Week 8: To provide illustrations of effective patient education resources and
materials and explore ways to tailor education programs to the specific needs of
patients
● Week 9: To perform post-education or post-training evaluation (knowledge
measurement test) to measure staff knowledge in the four educational areas
● Week 10: To provide feedback to clinicians (those who participated in the
training) based on their scores and performance in the test
● Week 11: To create a plan for ongoing staff support and training to reinforce and
bolster learning and integration of the knowledge acquired; to examine methods
for implementing the acquired concepts; and to review the project to collect
insights and feedback from clinicians for future changes.

SMART Objectives

1. To ensure 90% of staff improve their knowledge of medication adherence principles and
   hypertension as a disease within eleven weeks of implementation.
2. To increase staff communication skills by 80% within the implementation period.

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References

Croft, C. (2022). Project management quickstart guide: The simplified beginner’s guide to
precise planning, strategic resource management, and delivering world-class results.
ClydeBank Media, LLC.
Moran, K. J., Burson, R., & Conrad, D. (2023). The Doctor of Nursing Practice project: A
framework for success. Jones & Bartlett Learning.