Quality Improvement

NHS quality improvement programs main purpose is to collect and review data entered in order to recognize the opportunities to improve business operations in healthcare. To bring changes in quality, it is necessary to respond to patient’s ideas and implement them for the better results. The key issues that are to be considered for quality-improvement NHS program, as it moves forward are the needs for the patients, necessity of the funds for quality improvements, needs of the service providers and expectations of the community. Outcomes for people and also change expertise. And to improve business operations in healthcare and also recognize opportunities.

The "Duke University Medical Center" (2005) website defines “quality improvement as a formal approach to the analysis of performance and systematic efforts for improvement”. Quality improvement programs are found in a variety of industries and are constructed differently. The medical field tends to use quality management to focus on patient and staff safety, reducing medical errors, and avoiding or decreasing morbidity and mortality rates. Health care organizations have been attempting to improve the quality of care for as long as “the nineteenth-century when obstetrician, Ignaz Semmelweis introduced hand washing to medical care, and Florence Nightingale who determined

Berry, L. L. (2000). Cultivating service brand equity. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28(1), 128-137. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1177/0092070300281012

Quality Improvement (QI) is an organizational approach leading to the quality of patient care and patient services through use of specific guidelines, principles, and methods to ensure quality of care for every patient and health care facility throughout the world. Quality outcomes focus on the principles of quality management. These measurements investigate the quality of care, patient outcomes and consumer needs, through being part of the participant group. This quality improvement discussion will review the foundational frameworks of QI and explanation of each framework in detail. Included in this QI report will be

The nurse is challenged with the care of patients over a lifespan. Each stage of life brings its own physical and emotional changes which directs the care needs. The care needs of the pediatric patient will be much different from the needs of the geriatric population. The geriatric population has very specific needs which has prompted the government to establish the Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) program. The QAPI provides the framework for nursing facilities to develop and implement changes which address deficiencies the facility was found to have. Also, the QAPI program requires practices and policy be put in place to monitor care of the residents. The purpose of this paper is to list some of the changes the elderly go through as they age, and demonstrate these changes in a quality improvement project. After review of literature, I will discuss the challenges, barriers, and solutions as related to quality improvement. Lastly, I will discuss the quality of care for the geriatric in the future.

Quality improvement data is followed in all health care setting. The use of Cerner EHRs allows data to be obtained from patient charts to analyze core measures. According to the joint commission influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations measures should be addressed in all hospital in-patients (The Joint Commission, 2015). Data can be retrieved on those patient who were diagnosed with pneumonia to determine if they received the vaccinations for pneumonia and influenza. As well as tracking the time frame between diagnosis and treatment, and additionally the patient outcome. This is captured through the documentation of the clinical staff. The information can be analyzed to determine the quality improvement changes that need to be implemented to improve patient outcomes.

Falls are a major cause of injury and death in the frail older population with Alzheimer’s disease. Residents in the long-term care settings experience falls for many reasons and are likely to endure injuries more than those in other settings. Preventing falls in this setting posed significant challenge, many have cognitive problems, aged related changes, chronic medical conditions, medication effects, and physical limitations requiring dedicated interdisciplinary efforts (Vance, 2011).

As a hospital, quality care should be a priority for patients that are going to be treated for a sickness, or any type of procedure that is going to take place. A lot of times a patient gets an infection while they were at the hospital, on top of being treated for what they original came in for. Health facilities should be environments of healing, which they are, but they also have tons of various types of germs and infections, which grasp onto individuals that have weak immune systems/are sick. Some infections that are at hospitals are Tuberculosis, VRE, VAP, C-Diff, UTI, and MRSA. Preventive measures to stop the spread of the infections is lacking tremendously in the work and aim to provide safety for all patient’s health. The work

After the interview with my nurse manager, I came up with the PICO question which states: “Does the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system reduce the number of medication errors compared to the common paper system being used today?” This question is important and I selected it because the population that the Belvoir Community hospital serves includes army officers of all ages both active and retired including their spouses and children. This group includes two sub groups of highly vulnerable persons which include the very young and the very old, who have a high-risk effect for medication errors because the potential adverse drug event is three times greater than an adult hospitalized patient (Levine et al., 2001). CPOE is not a panacea, but it does represent an effective tool for bringing real-time, evidence-based decision support to physicians. Nurses are the last defense level of protection against medication errors, and are solely responsible for the dispensing, administering, and monitoring of medications. In healthcare, computers can be used to help facilitate clear and accurate communication between health care professionals. When using a CPOE system it allows physicians to type in prescriptions right into the device or computer which significantly lessens any mistakes that can occur when

In order for the initiative of bedside handover with the use of ISBAR framework to be implemented and work efficiently, a change management theory can be applied. One change management theory that is commonly used amongst nurses in different specialty areas is Kurt Lewin's change management theory. This theory is of particular relevance to my initiative as in the last stage of the theory involves sustainability which is of great importance when it comes to delivery quality care. Lewin’s change management theory involves three steps; unfreeze, change and refreeze. From Lewin’s perspective, the process of change begins with creating the perception that change is needed, then moves onto the actual desirable level of change and lastly, solidifying the new behaviour as the new normal (Burnes, 2004). In Lewin’s first stage, unfreezing is about encouraging people to think about the current situation and helping them realise the need for change (Kassean & Jagoo, 2005). The first move is therefore is to raise awareness for the need for change by communicating the proposed change to all those who are going to be affected by the initiative, such as the patients, charge nurse and nurses. Making research articles about the benefits of bedside handover available for people to read is another way to raise awareness. Lastly, displaying posters of the new initiative around the ward can be done as another tool to help implement the change. For the change

Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) communicates the following five elements: design and scope, governance and leadership, feedback, data systems and monitoring, performance improvement projects, and systematic analysis and systemic action. The purpose of this paper is to communicate issues surrounding these topics, as well as aging problems. Are the topics evidence based? Do they have supporting documentation to put them into practice at various facilities? Can executing the aforementioned items make a difference at institutions? Now, start the journey to see how each section can be applied to your workplace.

Despite the growing burden of diabetes and the lack of diabetes care providers, barriers and resistance for utilization of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (ARPRNs) to provide diabetes care continues to exist. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017), an estimated 30.3 million people have diabetes, with greater than 90% having Type Two Diabetes. In Saline County, Kansas, 12 % of the population has been diagnosed with diabetes (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2016). A previous gap analysis identified the lack of outpatient diabetes education and management services in Saline County, Kansas. Follow-up SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) identified barriers and potential solutions that must

Quite informative, your post, I found it interesting that the quality improvement initiative dates back to the 19th century, and with whom it all began. Today the standards as you stated, are being set and monitored by the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid in all settings, including durable medical equipment. Patient awareness plays an integral part in the quality of care as well. After an inpatient stay, most facilities have their patients complete a 10-page survey surrounding their care. That gives a first-hand account of the areas that mean the most to the person receiving care. Excellent work!

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Because this change is more in depth, the Kotter model of change would be used. Using this model, first, data must be presented to show a need for this change such as the remarkable data McGoldrick has found. Statistics on the rate of noncompliance with isolation precautions, and the burdens it causes to staff should also be presented. Next, important people must be gathered to help implement the change, such as charge nurses, management and most importantly the infection control department. This group must work together, and look at the data to make a specific plan to implement this change. Then, they will decide how to get the new idea out to the staff,