HI Laurel; I would suggest not using open space for two hours for this particular scenario. OST is just the right process for the problem, but anything less than 4 hours would have the potential to backfire and a day would be minimal in my opinion for this issue. It sounds typical of the desire for instant fixes to huge problems that is rampant in health care. My other concern is that they will be so caught up with being ready for the OR to start, they may not be fully present. I would suggest that if they are truly committed to resolving the problem, they will dedicate more time to it and they will find a way to make the time happen. Sometimes that requires investing in time on a weekend or (god forbid) closing down the OR for a half day. This is often done when anaesthetists go for their annual conference!! My thinking is that a 2 hour event in any form is not going to help them resolve the issues. They are likely looking at many 2 hour sessions which would have the same effect on productivity as closing the OR for a day and not nearly as effective as just one day in open space.
One of my nursing colleagues participated in a 2 hour "demonstration" event recently at a conference where there was not particular passionate issues. She said that people got into the discussion so deeply, that they were angry when they were forced to stop. Not in the spirit of OS and could particularly backfire if volatile issues got raised that could not be discussed until "it is over". Two hours might get you an opportunity to do some story telling to start people getting a handle on the issue and then follow with a longer open space. My humble opinion; Michelle Michelle Cooper, RN, MScN The Cooper Group Consultants 200 Crestview Avenue Ancaster, Ontario Canada L9G1E2 Telephone - (905) 648- 4633 Fax - (905) 648-1763 E-mail [email protected] The paradox of control is simple. The more we try to control life, the less control we have. Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., Minding The Body, Mending The Mind
