Quality Improvement and Patient Outcomes, Essay Example

Patient Safety Problem

One of the main problems I have experienced in my practice that affects patient safety is related to the social and medical diversity of the population. In the maternity care unit, nurses often face difficult and unique cases, of which they do not have adequate knowledge. Training resources are limited, and the increasing number of patients with pre-existing conditions, at-risk calls for a focused training program for all team members. One of the most prevalent risks that cannot be adequately addressed, also mentioned by Smith & Dixon (2009, p. 5) is that “women who are older, obese or have existing medical conditions (including diabetes, HIV and hepatitis) all need more care from maternity services”. While the above statement is made after reviewing the UK health care system’s maternity services, it is important to note that the trend is present in the entire western world. The authors recommend training for nurses and skill development programs in order to become fully competent in dealing with such risks and provide the best quality care possible.

Quality Improvement Initiatives

Before planning change and improving processes, I usually try and gain commitment from team members, and build a consensus. I use the change theory of Lewin (1951), and the expanded version created by Lippitt et al. (1958). The main reason I find Lippitt’s theory of change more effective is because it includes the assessment of resources and motivation, as well as the capacity for change. In my practice, financial and human resources are scarce, therefore, planning change needs to consider various internal and external factors (Mitchell, 2013).

I also understand that communication is essential for motivating team members and gaining commitment (Mitchell, 2013, p. 37). When I face a challenge, such as the lack of skills to treat patients with health conditions in the maternity unit, I usually research the related solutions and ask for team members’ input. By understanding the problem, nurses are more likely to commit to taking on extra training, and patient outcomes can be improved.

References

Lewin K (1951) Field Theory in Social Science. Tavistock Publications, London.

Lippitt R, Watson J, Westley B (1958) Dynamics of Planned Change. Harcourt, Brace, New York NY.

Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change: Improving the workplace requires staff to be involved and innovations to be maintained. Gary Mitchell            discusses the theories that can help achieve this. Nursing Management, 20(1), 32-37.

Smith, A. H. K., Dixon, A. L., & Page, L. A. (2009). Health-care professionals’ views about safety in maternity services: a qualitative study. Midwifery, 25(1), 21-31.