Implement a Synergy Model for Patient Care

In an effort to promote widespread use of AACN’s Synergy Model for Patient Care, John F. Dixon, from the Center for Quality and Care Coordination, Baylor University, Texas, offered different strategies that institutions can use to integrate the model into daily practice during yesterday’s session “The Synergy Model: How to Make it a Part of Your Daily Practice”.

“Professional practice needs structure in order to promote a healthy work environment. This model was grounded in practice,” Dixon said.

Synergy Model Background

Although the model was developed during the 1990s, changes are continually being made, even today, in order for people to better understand its purpose.

The “framework” of the model is based on eight components: stability, complexity, vulnerability, resiliency, predictability, participation in care, participation in decision-making and availability of resources.

These components are measured on three different levels: maximum risk, medium risk and minimum risk.

Ways to implement the model

“One of the crucial tasks is to create personal linkages and figure out how the model is relevant to practice,” Dixon said. “When thinking about the person to call at the pharmacy, this is systems thinking.”

Implementing the model in your practice requires looking at the whole spectrum of departments and units within your institution and determining what the weaknesses are, according to Dixon.

“Your administration needs to be able to ‘walk the walk and talk the talk.’ You may have to be the motivating partner with individuals who need assistance, because they will need these types of support systems,” Dixon said.

Limitations that have been identified with the model are that nurses see or hear the word “model” and are immediately concerned, so Dixon suggests using caution when using this word.

Another limitation is how to bring nurses together to become part of a community that practices the synergy model. Because of this, Dixon recently launched The AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care Listserv, which was created to promote and translate the synergy model into practice by creating a virtual community for educators, managers and practitioners to share their knowledge and experience with each other.