D157 turns the business case from D156 into a resourced plan. Students in WGU's MSN Leadership and Management program work on people and fiscal leadership for their healthcare improvement project (HIP).
WGU's program guide describes analyzing budgets, revenue streams and human and financial resource allocation, developing training on compliance and regulatory requirements, and designing team-building that improves engagement and trust. Students also align the project with the organization's mission, vision and values.
The phrase "era of disruption" signals the course's view: past business strategies are not enough, and nurse leaders must recommend innovative approaches that support value-based care.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | D157 |
| Program | MSN Leadership and Management |
| Competency units | 2 (per the BSN to MSN program guide) |
| Focus | Human and financial resources, healthy work environments, team performance |
| Grading note | WGU lists the course as eligible for an In Progress grade |
What D157 Covers
| Competency (summarized) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Promote a healthy work environment | Programs that reduce workplace behavior problems and support work-life balance |
| Design team-building experiences | Activities that build trust, synergy and common goals |
| Plan resources with stakeholders | Staff, budget, equipment and time needed for project aims |
| Apply HR principles in a project charter | Roles, responsibilities and staffing for the HIP |
Key Concepts Explained
The Project Charter
A charter formally authorizes a project. It usually includes the purpose, scope, objectives, key stakeholders, team roles, high-level budget, timeline and risks. In D157 the human resource section is emphasized.
Example: For a project to improve heart failure discharge teaching, the charter names a nurse manager as sponsor, the student as project lead, two staff nurse champions, a pharmacist and a case manager. It lists four hours of training per nurse, the cost of printed materials, and a twelve-week timeline.
Healthy Work Environments
Professional bodies such as the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses describe standards for healthy work environments, including skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision-making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition and authentic leadership. These give you a ready framework for this competency.
Budget Basics
Operating budgets cover day-to-day costs such as salaries and supplies; capital budgets cover major purchases. Your HIP budget should separate one-off costs (training, equipment) from ongoing ones (staff time, materials).
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Task element | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Project charter | HR and planning | Use a standard template and define every role clearly |
| Resource plan and budget | Fiscal leadership | Itemize costs and show how they align with organizational priorities |
| Healthy work environment program | Culture and wellbeing | Target a specific problem such as incivility or burnout |
| Team-building plan | Engagement and trust | Describe activities, purpose and how you will measure engagement |
Aligning the Project with Mission and Values
The course asks students to assess an organization's mission, vision and values and show alignment with the HIP. This is more than a sentence quoting the mission statement.
Show the link in concrete terms: if the organization values patient-centered care, explain how your project changes what patients experience.
If it prioritizes staff retention, show how the team-building and work environment elements support that goal. Leaders approve resources for projects that clearly advance what the organization already says it cares about.
Planning Human Resources in the Project Charter
One D157 competency asks you to apply human resource principles when developing a project charter. In practice, that means stating who the project needs, in what roles, for how long and with what training, rather than assuming staff will absorb the work.
- Roles: project lead, sponsor, team members and frontline champions.
- Time: realistic hours, including backfill if staff leave the bedside for meetings.
- Skills: training needed before implementation.
- Wellbeing: how the plan protects workload and work-life balance.
Link each item to a cost line in your budget so the human and financial plans agree.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Underestimating staff time. Training and meetings cost money even when no new equipment is bought.
- Generic team-building. A one-off social event rarely builds trust; link activities to the project's goals.
- Missing compliance training. The course expects training that addresses regulatory requirements.
- Disconnected sections. Charter, budget and team plan should describe the same project and timeline.
Study Tips for D157
- Ask your finance or unit manager how budgets work in your organization.
- Reuse your D156 stakeholder map to fill the charter's roles.
- Keep figures realistic and cite sources for salary or cost estimates.
- Update your HIP master document so D158 starts from a complete plan.
How We Help with D157
Send the task, rubric, your HIP summary and any templates. A healthcare leadership writer prepares a model charter, budget or team plan, or edits your draft for clarity and alignment. Our healthcare management assignment guide covers related skills.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Because your project involves your real organization, use our work as a reference for structure and reasoning, then write and submit your own documents under WGU's academic integrity rules.
Plan Your D157 Resources with Confidence
Share your HIP details and rubric. We prepare a model charter and resource plan or review your draft.
Start My D157 HelpFree revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order
Frequently Asked Questions
D156 builds the business case for the healthcare improvement project; D157 plans the human and financial resources and team culture needed to deliver it.
Typically purpose, scope, objectives, stakeholders, team roles and responsibilities, budget, timeline and risks, with emphasis on human resources.
Use realistic figures from your organization where permitted, or cite published estimates, and explain your assumptions.
A set of standards for workplace culture, such as the AACN's healthy work environment standards, that you can use to design your program.
Yes. Share your team and project goals; we help you plan activities linked to trust, engagement and measurable outcomes.
WGU's program guide lists it as eligible; check the Grading Scale Policy for details.