Quality Improvement

Question 1

Define quality care and quality improvement

Answer 1

Quality care
• Exceeding patient requirements
Quality improvement
• Ongoing process of innovation, prevention of error and staff development that is used by institutions that adopt the quality management philosophy

Question 2

Describe the philosophy of quality improvement

Answer 2

• Patient (customer) focus
• Identification of key processes to improve quality
• Use of quality tools and statistics to support improvements
• Involvement of the HCT in problem solving
• Committed leadership
• Long term commitment

Question 3

Outline the dimensions of structure, process and outcomes

Answer 3

1. Structure
   • Focuses on internal characteristics of an organization and personnel
2. Process
   • Focuses on whether the activities are being conducted appropriately
3. Outcome
   • Refers the whether the services provided make a difference

Question 4

Describe how to measure quality

Answer 4

	Define opportunities
	Measure performance
	Analyze opportunity
	Improve performance
	Control performance

Question 5

Identify quality improvement process

Answer 5

1. Identify consumers needs
2. Assemble a team
3. Collect and analyze data
   a. Flow charts
   b. Line graphs
   c. Histograms
   d. Bar charts
   e. Fishbone diagrams
4. Establish outcomes
5. Discuss plans
6. Evaluate

Question 6

Apply quality improvement principles

Answer 6

• Involvement
• Goal
• Consumers
• Focus
• Decisions

Question 7

Apply quality improvement principles examples

Answer 7

 Senior leader
o Sets priorities for house-wide activities, staffing effectiveness and patient outcomes
o Builds infrastructure, provides resources and removes barriers for improvement
o Defines procedures for immediate response to errors involving care, treatment or services and contains risk
 Nurse manager
o Communicates performance priorities and targets to staff
o Works with staff to develop and implement action plans for improvement of measures that do not meet target
o Directly observes staff and coaches as needed
 Followers
o Follows policies, procedures and protocols to ensure quality and safe patient care
o Communicates with and educates peers immediately if they are observed not following quality and safety standards
o Reports quality and safety issues to supervisor/manager

Question 8

Describe the role of the CRNBC and CNA in establishing and maintaining standards of practice for RNs

Answer 8

• Quality control
• Develops standards
o Predetermined level of excellence that serves as a guide for practice

Question 9

quality management

Answer 9

•Philosophy of health care culture that emphasizes customer satisfaction, innovation and employee involvement

Question 10

benefits of quality management

Answer 10

• Greater efficiency and proactive planning
• Increases in patient safety with quality care
• Enhanced job satisfaction

Question 11

pts at greatest risk for harmful medication errors

Answer 11

• Children

* Pts in intensive care units

Question 12

benchmarking

Answer 12

• Tool for identifying desired standards of organizational performance
• Continual and collaborative discipline of measuring and comparing the results of key work processes with those of the best performers

Question 13

implications for patient care

Answer 13

• Must be measured by the value of care
• Value is a function of cost and quality outcomes together
• Outcomes include a patients clinical or functional outcomes
• Cost includes direct and indirect patient care needs

Question 14

major types of documentation errors

Answer 14

• Omission of vital signs
• Lack of signature
• Inaccurate data
• Incomplete data
• Illegible

Question 15

Canadian patient safety institute

Answer 15

• Has coordinating and leadership role across health care sectors and systems
• Promotes leading practices and raises awareness of patient safety
• Not-for-profit organization
• Inspires improvement in patient safety and quality by developing evidence-informed practices

Question 16

quality assurance

Answer 16

• Method used to monitor health care
• Focuses on clinical aspects of provider care
• Many activities focus on standards

Question 17

standards

Answer 17

• Standard of care
o Focuses on the pt
• Standard of practice
o Focuses on the nurse as provider

Question 18

goal of quality improvement

Answer 18

• Not assign blame
• Responsibility of all nurses and seeks to improve patient care at the minimal level
• Working together to prevent problems is far more effective than correcting or dealing with problems after they occur