United States Agency for International Development

Improvement science models bring together research and evidence-based practice to identify the most effective ways to promote quality and safety in health care. As a central tenet of quality improvement, attention must be paid to the processes that contribute to outcomes.

In this Discussion, you examine quality improvement models and evaluate how they could be applied to address specific issues within health care organizations.

To prepare:

Review the improvement models presented in the Learning Resources.

Evaluate each of the models and select two on which to focus for this Discussion.

Consider how each of the two models could be utilized in a health care organization to promote quality and safety. Think about the following:

How does the model bring together research and evidence-based practice to facilitate quality improvement?

How does the model contribute to a culture of quality and safety?

How does it address changes in process?

Reflect on the quality improvement issue and the health care setting that you are addressing for your Course Project. Of the two models that you have selected, determine which one you, as a nurse leader-manager, would use to address this issue. Also consider how this would relate to one or more of the IOM’s six aims for quality and safety.

Post your analysis of how the two improvement models that you selected could foster a culture of quality and patient safety and facilitate changes in process that promote positive outcomes. Explain how you would use one of these models to address the quality improvement issue in the organization that you have selected for your Course Project, and how doing so would relate to one or more of the IOM’s six aims for improving quality and safety.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days using one or more of the following approaches:

Offer additional strategies for using your colleague’s selected model to address the IOM’s six aims for quality.

Share insights for engaging frontline staff using your colleague’s selected improvement model.

Compare the steps in the improvement model that you selected with your colleague’s.

Suggest an alternative model for your colleague to utilize in his or her identified health care organization.

Required Readings

Hickey, J. V., & Brosnan, C. A. (2012). Evaluation of health care quality in advanced practice nursing. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Review Chapter 6, “Evaluating Health Care Information Systems and Patient Care Technology” (pp. 113–133) (assigned in Week 6)

This chapter examines federally mandated use of health information technology to improve health care and care delivery. In addition, technology competencies are discussed along with strategies for evaluating health information technologies in coordination with nurse informaticists.

Chapter 7, “Evaluation of Patient Care Standards, Guidelines, and Protocols” (pp. 135–158) (assigned in Week 4)

How can you know if an organization is delivering the best possible care? This chapter explores evaluation methods for patient care and discusses methods used to evaluate innovations that can lead to practice changes.

Sadeghi, S., Barzi, A., Mikhail, O., & Shabot, M. M. (2013). Integrating quality and strategy in health care organizations. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 7, “Understanding Quality and Performance” (pp. 133–160)

Chapter 9, “Closing the Gaps” (pp. 179–194)

Altmann, T. K. (2007). An evaluation of the seminal work of Patricia Benner: Theory or philosophy? Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession, 25(1/2), 114–123.