Scenario

You are applying for the role of quality assurance manager at a large health care system. One of the job application requirements is to provide an example of the quality improvement process, from beginning to end, to demonstrate your understanding of how this process requires action at the clinical microsystem level. As a former bedside nurse, you have a wealth of experience to bring to this example and want to be sure to include how continuous quality improvement processes must be applied at this level of care.

Instructions

Consider one of the following to identify an example of how quality improvement must be applied to the clinical microsystem:

HCAHPS Scores

Medication Error Incident Reports

• A Sentinel Event (death or serious injury not related to the natural course of the client’s illness)
• A breach in protocol or standard of nursing practice
• As you develop your example for your job application, include the following elements in a Word document:
• Mechanisms to identify a potential problem regarding quality of service delivery.

Discuss techniques of data collection that may be required to illustrate the scope of the quality improvement process.

Identify the structure, process, or outcomes standards to place this quality improvement initiative in a context for action.

• Identify the standards that will be used to gauge the effectiveness of the quality improvement effort.
• Describe steps the organization (system) could or should take to avoid this quality issue in the future.