NURS 421 Course Project

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this assignment include to:

• Understand the PDCA cycle.
• Implement a quality improvement (QI) project focused on improving a specific nursing leadership or management skill using the PDCA cycle and QI tools.

OVERVIEW

According to Grohar-Murray and Langan (2011), leadership “includes intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and situational variables” (p. 24) while management is defined as “a process with both interpersonal and technical aspects through which the objectives of an organization are accomplished” (p. 147). Grohar-Murray and Langan describe QI as occurring in three discrete stages: (1) setting a standard of quality, (2) measuring what is actually occurring and comparing it to the standard of quality desired, and (3) planning and implementing action when needed to improve the standard of quality (p. 191).

DIRECTIONS:
Your course project in this course is to design and implement a personal improvement goal for the next five weeks that focuses on a specific nursing leadership or management skill that you would like to improve upon. You will use the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) process to help you achieve your goal. See pp. 5-7 of the “Personal Quality Improvement Work Book” (2004) by Neuhauser, Myhre, and Alemi for information on the PDCA Cycle.

Identify an area upon which you would like to improve—a goal for professional development. For example, say you would like to improve upon your communication skills and the specific outcome you are trying to achieve is to become more assertive in your interaction with other health care professionals. Establish and document a clear plan on how you will achieve your goal. Define measurable criteria that will help you determine if improvement has occurred.

1. Do (D)

Implement the plan and begin collecting and documenting data immediately at the beginning of the session. Continue collecting and documenting data at least several times a week through the first five weeks of the session in order to help you measure whether or not your plan has been successful. The more information you have, the better and stronger your analysis will be.

2. Check (C)

After you have collected data, begin to analyze the information. Based on the data you collected, choose an appropriate “tool” on pp. 8-24 of the “Personal Quality Improvement Work Book” and use this tool to assist you in analyzing your data. After you have analyzed the data, begin to identify and document conclusions based on your analysis.

3. Act (A)

After you have studied and analyzed the data, does the information that you gathered support that you have achieved your goal or does it suggest modification in your plan is needed in order to achieve your goal? If you achieved your goal respond to item (a) below. If you need to modify your plan, address item (b) below.

1. If your goal was achieved, specifically indicate how you can “consolidate, strengthen, and support the change achieved” so things do not “slide back into the status quo” (Neuhauser, Myhre, & Alemi, 2004, p. 7).
2. If modification is needed, what changes do you think are required to achieve your goal? Be specific. Include information how you would act upon the modified plan reusing the PDCA cycle if you had additional time to do so.

1. Document and submit the following information:
   1. The goal for professional development related to a specific nursing leadership or management skill that you identified.
   2. The specific plan you formulated to achieve your goal.
   3. The measurable criteria you identified to determine if improvement had occurred.
   4. Frequency of data collection.
   5. Conclusions you reached based on your data analysis and whether or not you achieved your goal or modification of your plan is needed.
   6. If you achieved your goal, provide information on how you plan to “consolidate, strengthen, and support the changes achieved” or if plan modification is needed, provide information on changes needed to achieve your goal and how you would act upon the modified plan reusing the PDCA cycle if you had additional time available to do so.
2. Complete and submit your answers to questions 1 through 9. I have included this questionnaire in a Word format in the Book of Materials on the Main Page of the course.
3. For question #6, attach the completed tool that you used to analyze your data.
4. For question #9, include information explaining your response. Why or why wasn’t this project helpful to you in learning about CQI?
5. Do not answer questions 10-12.
6. Upload only one file by combining all elements of the assignment into one document. No late submissions will be accepted.
7. The total page count for the project is to be NOT less than 4 pages and not more than 6 pages NOT including the title page. Charts, survey, and reference page.
8. APA format applies to this paper. Your answer sheet in section 2 above  does not count as part of the paper.

SOLUTION

Goal

As argued by Grohar-Murray and Langan (2011), leadership entails interpersonal, intrapersonal, situational and intergroup variables. A major interpersonal function of leadership is communication. Barton (2018) argues that influential communication should be clear, confident, credible, concise and compelling. A good leader is a leader who inspires and empowers others. All qualities of a good leader are summed up by effective communication.  In the medical field, ineffective communication can be fatal in that quality healthcare depends on effective communication between the care service providers. The fact that a patient has to undergo several processes in a hospital makes it necessary for communication to be effective. Any healthcare organisation has the goal of achieving its mission and vision, but this can only occur effective guidance and leadership. The underlying factor in both guidance and leadership is communication. It is the role of the leader to generate expectations, delegate roles, and ensure that such roles are undertaken effectively. All these elements require effective communication for success.

I work in an acute care telemetry floor as a Registered Nurse (RN). I have a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) who work under me. The CNA helps the patients with daily activities such as bathing, serving meals, answering calls, cleaning and sanitizing, changing bed sheets and taking vital signs among others. However, as the RN, I also delegate some additional responsibility to the CNA such as administering medication and setting up equipment.  As the RN, it is my duty to ensure that quality care is offered to my patient s and thus have to ensure that delegation of tasks to the CNA is effective. This requires effective