As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve rapidly, the patient experience has been prioritized by providers and patients alike. Healthcare leaders and administrators have long recognized that patients need to have a positive and respectful experience within the healthcare system to fully trust their providers, and the fact of the matter is that nurses have the most significant impact on patient care. As a result, quality improvement in nursing has become a hot topic in the healthcare industry, as nurses and leaders work together to provide all patients with the experience they need and deserve.
Role of Quality Improvement in Nursing
Quality improvement in nursing, which is commonly referred to in the healthcare industry as QI in nursing, is an effort being made at all levels of the healthcare system to improve nursing practices to enhance patient care. Quality improvement is central to meeting healthcare standards and achieving better patient outcomes. At a time when the needs of patients are becoming more complex, it has never been more important to focus on quality improvement in nursing.
Understanding Quality Improvement in Nursing
Quality improvement in nursing is defined as a strategic and systematic approach to evaluating healthcare services and nursing practices to improve patient care and outcomes. There are four components involved in QI in nursing, including:
- Identifying the problem. Before nurses and healthcare leaders can begin collaborating to make improvements, they must first identify challenges and shortcomings within their systems. Problems can be identified by evaluating patient data, observing patient care practices within a facility, or conducting a survey to gauge the pulse of the community being served.
- Gathering accurate and relevant data. Once a problem has been identified, nurses and healthcare administrators should work together to collect data from the patient population to further explore how the problem can be addressed. Nurse informatics plays a vital role in quality improvement.
- Developing an intervention to solve the problem. After data has been collected and analyzed, nurses can work to create targeted interventions that address the specific problem that exists.
- Analyze the intervention’s results. Data collection efforts should continue even once the intervention has been implemented because evaluation and assessment are key parts of quality improvement. It is important to ensure the intervention is working, as adjustments can be made accordingly.
Definition and Importance of Quality Improvement (QI)
Quality improvement in nursing is essential in the modern healthcare landscape. The goals of QI in nursing include:
- Reducing errors made while caring for patients. Errors not only compromise the safety of patients, but they can also decrease the efficiency of the healthcare system and potentially raise the cost of healthcare within a community.
- Improving patient safety. Providing patients with safe, effective, and personalized care is critically important in today’s world.
- Improving operational efficiency within the healthcare system. QI in nursing provides nurses and healthcare administrators with an opportunity to leverage data to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes.
Principles of Quality Improvement in Nursing
Patient-centered care rests at the heart of QI in nursing. While it is easy for healthcare leaders, nurse managers, and registered nurses to focus on operational efficiency within the healthcare system, it is important to recognize that patient needs must be a top priority at all times. Understanding the needs and preferences of patients plays a central role in improving patient outcomes, as nurses and healthcare providers must be culturally aware and culturally responsive to earn the trust of the patients they serve.
Patient-Centered Care
Patient-centered care is the key to improving patient satisfaction ratings and achieving better overall outcomes. The ANA defines patient-centered care as the practice of putting the needs of patients first and foremost at all times. To provide patient-centered care, nurses must be aware of the medical needs of patients, their concerns, their cultural values, and their general comfort level. In addition to prioritizing the physical health of their patients, nurses must also consider their patients’ emotional health. By being aware of the needs of patients and balancing their emotional and physical health concerns, nurses can better advocate for their patients as they work with providers to develop a personalized treatment plan.
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a strategic approach to nursing that requires nurses to implement the latest research findings into their care techniques. Often referred to as EBP, this practice is crucial in strengthening QI initiatives. Some examples of evidence-based care that can improve the patient experience and overall outcomes include:
- Creating new protocols that address alarm fatigue.
- Developing new ways to measure blood pressure in young children that are noninvasive.
- Understanding how family members can influence the description of symptoms and working to create an accurate diagnosis based on the patient’s current physical and emotional health.
Quality Improvement Strategies in Nursing
To fully realize the benefits of QI in nursing, nurses and other healthcare professionals have developed specific strategies that can help streamline the process of identifying areas for improvement and creating targeted interventions that will lead to lasting results.
These are two of the most well-known quality improvement strategies in nursing:
Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycle
The Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle (PDSA) is a practical and easy-to-use framework that can help nurses implement QI projects and track the results of their endeavors. The PDSA Cycle is particularly valuable for assessing QI improvement efforts in nursing, and it involves:
- Writing a plan for what you intend to do to test the QI improvement project.
- Setting the plan in motion and carefully observing what comes next.
- Tracking the results of your test and analyzing the results.
- Creating a plan to adjust the intervention accordingly or developing a framework for keeping the intervention in place.
The PDSA Cycle is particularly valuable because it relies heavily on data collection and analysis to verify that a QI intervention works as intended. It can be used for interventions small in scope, making it one of the most practical QI tools.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is another vital tool for nurses focused on quality improvement in the profession. RCA is primarily used when patients have had unexpected and serious adverse outcomes. It is a strategic process designed to break down the situation in which the patient was harmed so that nurses and other healthcare professionals can prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
RCA requires healthcare professionals to:
- Follow specific protocols to collect relevant data and better understand the patient experience. In some cases, patient and participant interviews are recorded to document the events as they occur.
- Analyze the events that occurred to identify the errors that led to the negative outcome and determine the root cause of the event.
- Analyze the events that occurred to uncover why they occurred in the first place and what can be done to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.
The Role of Nurses in Quality Improvement
Quality improvement in nursing may be a strategic effort emphasized by healthcare managers and administrators, but nurses play a surprisingly important role in developing, managing, and advocating for QI initiatives in nursing. By recognizing your role in this process, you can better advocate for your patients and develop QI interventions that will improve the work environment at your healthcare facility.
Nurse Leadership in QI Projects
When nurses play an active role in QI projects, the outcomes are significantly better. Nurses at all levels have the opportunity and ability to advocate for their patients and take on leadership roles within QI projects. By proactively working to participate in QI initiatives, you can advocate for better patient care standards while also offering input as to the best way to improve patient outcomes at your healthcare facility. The nurses who become involved in QI initiatives find it a rewarding process, one in which they can see the direct results of their efforts.
Engaging the Nursing Team in QI Efforts
The fact is, QI in nursing is a team effort, and all members of the care team should work together to identify areas for improvement and develop strategic solutions. Engaging the entire nursing team in QI efforts not only promotes collaboration in the healthcare landscape but also leads to more comprehensive and successful initiatives.
You can involve more nursing team members in quality improvement initiatives by:
- Clearly and frequently communicate the importance of quality improvement in nursing and the ways that nursing team members can get involved in QI efforts.
- Hosting regular QI meetings at various times so that all team members can attend and participate.
- Highlighting the contributions of others and recognizing them for their achievements.
Tools and Resources for Quality Improvement in Nursing
Nurses at all levels can rely on various tools and resources to identify areas for improvement and to develop targeted solutions that will enhance the experience and outcomes for all patients at the facility.
Quality Improvement Toolkits and Checklists
One of the best ways to implement QI efforts in nursing is to utilize the available toolkits and checklists. These simple and effective tools can help you easily follow the QI process, ultimately ensuring that you are taking all of the necessary steps to implement the solution properly.
What Is Improvement in Nursing? Learn More at Nevada State University
Nurses serve on the front lines in the healthcare industry, as they have the most direct and frequent contact with patients. To enhance the patient experience and improve patient outcomes, QI in nursing has to be a top priority not only for nurses but also for all healthcare professionals.
At Nevada State University, we offer an online RN to BSN degree program that allows registered nurses to accelerate their path toward earning a BSN degree. Building upon the foundation of strong nursing skills they already have, this online RN to BSN degree program equips nurses with the advanced skills required to provide patients with more compassionate and personalized care.
Request more information about our nursing degree programs today.