Quality Improvement Strategies IV

11.   What did I expect to learn about this topic before beginning the unit?

I expected to learn about how we can involve our patients specifically with continuous quality improvement. I also hoped to have a better understanding of indicators and benchmarks and how those are identified/created. 

2.   What I actually learned:

The discussion this week was difficult for me to understand. I guess I learned/understood more of what indicators are and how to create an effective benchmark. I realized how many elements need to be considered when creating process of care or outcome indicators and how impactful and important these are/can be. Benchmarks are also important and need to be created properly and at an attainable range, otherwise, hospitals may never meet the specified benchmark if it was created with improper data and that can reflect false information.

As we continue to develop our CQI in healthcare, it is important to remember the involvement of the patient. It is crucial for patients to be involved in their treatment. I understand that error rates haven’t necessarily dropped significantly with this new initiative but I believe in the long run, these rates will go down as people are more and more educated about healthcare with the advancing technology. I would hope that I can empower my patients to speak up and help them gain that desire to be involved in the quality improvement and their healthcare specifically.

The critical thinking exercise this week was interesting. I was able to think of a problem and I asked myself “why” five times. I do feel that with each time I asked myself the question I was able to have more clarity and understanding of the root of my problem. I think this is beneficial and can be applied to all problems in life. I need to stop and think about it for a few minutes and ask myself the why question multiple times. By doing this I allow myself to brainstorm possible causes and can come to a conclusion and begin to fix it if possible. If I don’t allow myself that time to think about the root cause, I may continuous have the problem and not realize how to fix it.

The case study this week got me thinking about what authority I have as a new nurse and how I can stand up for my patients as well as myself, even if it means calling a doctor out on something. I realize that I have the responsibility to speak up for my patients in all aspects but especially when something could possibly compromise their safety and well-being. IHC is focusing on Zero Harm. I believe this specific situation that was discussed is part of zero harm and I need to take action no matter what. If the doctor needs to speak to me afterward that is fine. I want to always be respectful of all members of the interdisciplinary team and I believe I can be respectful but still remind them of proper care/technique if necessary.
3.  My feelings/experiences from the individual and team activities:

I thought the case study and critical thinking exercises were beneficial this week. I did learn more about myself and how I might handle certain situations. It was good to think about how I might approach an MD who isn’t following proper protocol. I know this is something that will happen in my career. The discussion was complex and abstract for me. I don’t know that I fully understood what was being asked.
4. How I will utilize the information learned in my nursing practice:

Like I have previously mentioned, I appreciate the fact that I was able to think about how I might solve some problems in life and how I can communicate with physicians and feel that I do have proper authority. I will also involve patients in their care and encourage them to be a part of the continuous quality improvement.
5. My personal feelings about the material covered:

This week was full of a lot of good things. I really had a difficult time with the discussion and hope to receive more clarity and understanding as we continue with more units.