The Complexity of Change

1772 Words4 Pages

What is Change? Change is a natural phenomenon that occurs over time (Whitehead, Weiss, & Tappen, 2007). Change is an inevitable theme in all realities. Change can occur expectedly or unexpectedly and can potentially lead to new opportunities. Change can impact any individual or environment. In particular, change occurs constantly in the healthcare environment. A nursing student transitioning to a nurse’s role in healthcare reflects a drastic change in itself. Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson, vividly portrays the complexities of the change process through the use of four characters. Johnson (1998) introduces two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two “little people,” who live in a “Maze” and go out in search of “cheese,” to achieve nourishment and happiness. Johnson (1998) uses the two mice and the two “little people,” to display the characters’ reactions and coping mechanisms to change: Johnson uses “moving of the cheese,” throughout the book as a metaphor for change. The characters have their individual responses to the loss or moving of the cheese. The mice easily deal with the change and adapt, while using their instincts when responding to the cheese being moved (Johnson, 1998, p. 32). They stay prepared for the change or the move of the cheese, in case they need to go in search of it, by always being equipped with their running gear. Additionally, the mice do not spend time analyzing why the change occurred; instead they immediately sniff and scurry on to find their “new cheese” (Johnson, 1998). On the contrary, the “little people,” Hem and Haw, have overpowering human beliefs and emotions clouding their judgment and making it difficult for them to adapt to the change (Johnson, 1998, p. 27). Hem and Haw react emotionall... ... middle of paper ... ...and can bring forth opportunity or new cheese, only if searching for it. The new cheese will not always present by itself, rather has to be discovered. The cheese will often be moved, making it important to adapt to change when in search of new cheese. How an individual interprets change is directly determined by the attitude. A change can potentially open a door, only if one allows it to. Works Cited Johnson, S. (1998). Who Moved My Cheese?. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Sullivan, E. J. (2004). Becoming Influential: A Guide for Nurses. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Whitehead, D. K., Weiss, S. A., & Tappen, R. M. (2010). Essentials of Nursing and Management. Philadelphia, PA: Davis. Zerwekh, J., & Garneau, A. Z. (2012). Nursing today: Transitions and trends. (7th ed.). Phoenix, AZ: Elsevier Saunders.

Open Document