NURS 8302 Assignment 1 Applying Project Management Approaches for a Quality Improvement Practice Gap
Assignment 1: Applying Project Management Approaches for a Quality Improvement Practice Gap
Project management allows for a clear and focused workflow to approach an issue or task. These approaches streamline a process, allow for checks and balances, and ensure all stakeholders are active participants in the process. Project management approaches often utilize SMART objectives to define and set the objectives for the project.
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Each letter of the acronym SMART defines a different criterion for the objective. A SMART objective is specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and timely. These objectives help to steer the work and direct the stakeholders to the completion of the project.
For this Assignment, you will reflect on project management approaches that could be used to address a quality improvement practice gap. You will develop SMART objectives for the planning and execution of a quality improvement project, and will consider potential project management approaches or activities that could be used in executing this project.
To Prepare:
- Review the Learning Resources for this week, and consider the approaches of project management.
- Refer to the Week 3 Discussion, and reflect on the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Consider how you might apply the project management approaches examined this week to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Think about how you might develop SMART objectives for the planning and execution of a project to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Consider any other project management approaches or activities you might recommend using for your project that will address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
The Assignment: (2–3 pages)
- Briefly describe the quality improvement practice gap you identified in your nursing practice or organization. Be specific.
- Develop at least two SMART objectives you might apply in the project planning phase or execution phase to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified.
- Recommend at least two project management activities you would use for your project, addressing the quality improvement practice gap you identified. Explain your justification for why these activities would provide the best support. Be specific and provide examples.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7
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Read Also: NURS 8302 Week 3 Assignment: Tools for Measuring Quality
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 4
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Week 4 Assignment 1
Health care organizations should be continually involved in practice outcomes’ improvement. In this case, they need to make practice gaps identification a norm and respond effectively. Regardless of the situation, the approach chosen to address practice gaps affects outcomes considerably. Project management principles and activities can be integrated into practice improvement projects to guide planning, execution, and implementation. This paper describes the quality improvement practice gap, SMART objectives, and project management activities suitable for the project.
Quality Improvement Practice Gap
Medication errors are common in practice settings, and their rates depend on the experience of the workforce, the technology used, and health conditions, among other factors. The causes of medication errors in practice settings vary, with diagnosis and prescription inefficiencies and ineffective drug distribution practices among the leading causes (AMCP, 2019). Human-based issues and team inefficiencies are other major causes. Such issues include communication gaps and an uninformed patient population (Tiwary et al., 2019). Medication errors impact health outcomes adversely, necessitating up-to-date and evidence-based interventions. They are sources of new health conditions, injuries, and even death (Wondmieneh et al., 2020). Medication errors also cause patient dissatisfaction by reducing the quality of overall care.
Health care organizations can apply different strategies in medication errors control. These strategies can be the basis for using project management activities in practice improvement. Modern technology integration into health care practices is highly recommended in reducing and preventing medication errors. For instance, as Godshall and Riehl (2018) proposed, barcode scanning can prevent and mitigate drug prescription and administration problems. The other strategy is creating an informed nursing staff through nursing education. Doing so can help nurses follow institutional policies on medication transcription, such as the five rights of medication (Hanson & Haddad, 2021). Individually or jointly, these strategies can effectively address the practice gap.
SMART Goals
Medication errors cannot be effectively addressed without setting goals to guide practice improvement. Suitable goals in the planning phase or execution phase include:
- Adopting appropriate technologies in the practice setting to prevent medication errors within six months.
- Educating the nursing staff to equip it with knowledge on medication errors prevention and control in three months.
As required in goal setting, these goals are specific, measurable, and time-bound. They outline the measures necessary to achieve a particular outcome.
Project Management Activities to Apply in the Project
Project management is a broad topic with different phases and activities. A suitable project management activity for the project is a project strategy and business case. In project management, project strategy and the business case involve defining all the project’s requirements and proposing an appropriate methodology to achieve the desired goals (Schmidt, 2021). In medication errors’ prevention, project strategy and business case would involve identifying the technologies needed to prevent errors and proposing an approach to acquire them. For instance, the practice setting can rely on internal resources or donations. The other crucial activity is preparation. It is a critical activity before the project starts. Here, the project leader ensures that all the necessary resources are in place and timelines and roles are defined through work breakdown structure and Gantt charts, among other tools. Both activities are crucial to prevent working on a project without a definite end and specific goals.
Conclusion
Quality improvement requires high-level thinking and applying appropriate approaches. A project approach is justified when addressing quality improvement practice gaps such as medication errors. Preparation is vital before starting the project, among other activities like developing a project strategy and business case. Addressing medication errors requires a similar approach due to the complexity of the task and the need to work on specific, measurable, and time-bound goals.
References
AMCP. (2019). Medication errors. https://www.amcp.org/about/managed-care-pharmacy-101/concepts-managed-care-pharmacy/medication-errors
Godshall, M., & Riehl, M. (2018). Preventing medication errors in the information age. Nursing2020, 48(9), 56-58. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000544230.51598.38
Hanson, A., & Haddad, L. M. (2021). Nursing rights of medication administration. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560654/
Schmidt, T. (2021). Strategic project management made simple: Solution tools for leaders and teams. New Jersey Wiley.
Tiwary, A., Rimal, A., Paudyal, B., Sigdel, K. R., & Basnyat, B. (2019). Poor communication by health care professionals may lead to life-threatening complications: Examples from two case reports. Wellcome Open Research, 4. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15042.1
Wondmieneh, A., Alemu, W., Tadele, N., & Demis, A. (2020). Medication administration errors and contributing factors among nurses: A cross sectional study in tertiary hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. BMC Nursing, 19(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-0397-0
The provision of quality patient care is one of the central focuses of healthcare institutions and facilities. However, at times, the level of patient care or services offered by a particular healthcare facility may not be at par or better than expected, leading to a rise in a practice gap (Jones & Johnstones, 2019). Such gaps are appropriately identified through a gap analysis before formulating strategies to fill the gap. Central to filling the gap is the creation of SMART objectives which can be a guiding light from the project planning phase to an eventual phase that entails execution. The purpose of this assignment is to develop SMART objectives that can be applied in the project execution phase to address the quality improvement practice gap identified earlier. In addition, this write-up will explore project management activities that can be used in the project to address the quality improvement practice gap.
The Quality Improvement Practice Gap Identified
In previous weeks a quality improvement practice gap that was identified was the need for improvement in the incidences of pressure ulcer development in the society. Pressure ulcers, sometimes known as bed sores or pressure sores, result from injuries to the skin and underlying tissues. Such injuries are mainly costs by sustained pressure applied on a patient’s skin surface for long durations (de Oliveira et al., 2017). Even though there have been various efforts to control, prevent and manage pressure ulcers, the issue is still common in the practice setting. Therefore, it was identified as a practice gap that needs quality improvement.
The SMART Objectives
SMART objectives play a critical role in guiding the process of implementing a project as they lead the implementer on what to target and how to achieve it. This section, therefore, deals with the formulation of SMART objectives to help in executing a project to address the development of pressure ulcers as a quality improvement practice gap. The following SMART objectives have been formulated:
- To implement suitable pressure ulcer prevention strategies such as specialized support surfaces to reduce the incidences of pressure ulcer development by twenty percent within two months.
- To practice the management of pressure ulcers following established procures and protocols to improve the patient outcomes and shorten the length of patient stay by at least four days within two months.
- To identify at least three risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers to increase the preventions of pressure ulcer development by at least ten percent within three months.
Project Management Activities
Implementation of a quality improvement project to address identified practice gaps requires careful planning and undertaking various activities to achieve the set goals. The project management activities can, among other things, be guided by the already formulated objectives. The identified quality gap; pressure ulcers can be addressed by implementing a strategy such as a specialized support surface. When addressing the quality improvement practice gap, various activities would be undertaken. For instance, one of the recommended and the most suitable activities is cost-benefit analysis (Shirley, 2020). Having identified the use of specialized support surfaces such as special mattresses to help reduce the incidences of pressure ulcers, it would be prudent to perform a cost-benefit analysis.
During the cost-benefit analysis (Shirley, 2020), I would find out how much it would cost to acquire the specialized support surfaces and every other needed resource and evaluate the potential benefits in lowering the incidences of pressure ulcers. The benefit can be computed from the possible amount of money that would have been spent in the cases of higher rates of pressure ulcer development. If the benefits surpass the cost, it will indicate that it is ok to continue with the quality improvement initiative to address the gap. This activity, therefore, involves a feasibility study that informs the implementation team to proceed with the project or not. One of the current major concerns in the healthcare sector is the ever-rising costs of care. As such, a cost-benefit analysis as one of the activities will be the right step to make to ensure the appropriate use of resources and that no money is wasted.
The other possible activity is benchmarking activities. During benchmarking, the organization does not only check how other similar organizations are doing in terms of rates of pressure ulcers but also what facilities with better statistics do to keep the rates lower. The strategies can then be modified to suit the facility settings and help in reducing the rates of pressure ulcers. This activity would be one of the best as it will enhance the use of strategies that have been successfully used elsewhere to help in improving quality. In addition, benchmarking will help the facility to have reduced rates of pressure ulcers to target.
Conclusion
In conclusion, project management approaches can be used effectively to help in quality improvement gaps. Having identified pressure ulcer incidences as a quality gap in practice, project management approaches have been explored to help in addressing the identified quality gap. In addition, this assignment has also presented some of the activities to be done during the project management to help in addressing the gap effectively.
References
de Oliveira, K. F., Nascimento, K. G., Nicolussi, A. C., Chavaglia, S. R. R., de Araujo, C. A., & Barbosa, M. H. (2017). Support surfaces in the prevention of pressure ulcers in surgical patients: An integrative review. International journal of nursing practice, 23(4), e12553. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12553
Jones, A., & Johnstone, M. J. (2019). Managing gaps in the continuity of nursing care to enhance patient safety. Collegian, 26(1), 151-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2018.06.006.
Shirley, D. (2020). Project management for healthcare. CRC Press.
Rubric Detail
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Content
Name: NURS_8302_Week4_Assignment1_Rubric
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | ||
| Briefly describe the quality improvement practice gap you identified in your nursing practice or organization. Be specific. | Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization. The response provides accurate and specific details that fully support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response accurately describes the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization. The response provides accurate details that support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization. The response provides inaccurate or vague details that may support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes the quality improvement practice gap identified in their nursing practice or organization, or it is missing. The response provides inaccurate and vague details that do not support the selection of the quality improvement practice gap identified, or it is missing. |
|
| Develop at least two SMART objectives you might apply in the project planning phase or execution phase to address the quality improvement practice gap you identified. | Points Range: 32 (32%) – 35 (35%)
The response accurately and completely develops two SMART objectives that comprehensively address the quality improvement gap identified. |
Points Range: 28 (28%) – 31 (31%)
The response accurately develops two SMART objectives to address the quality improvement gap identified. |
Points Range: 25 (25%) – 27 (27%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely develops two SMART objectives to address the quality improvement gap identified. OR The response develops less than two SMART objectives. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 24 (24%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely develops two SMART objectives to address the quality improvement gap identified, or it is missing. |
|
| Recommend at least two project management activities you would use for your project addressing the quality improvement practice gap you identified, and explain your justification for why these activities would provide the best support. Be specific, and provide examples. | Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. The response includes relevant, specific, and appropriate examples that fully support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response accurately describes two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. The response includes relevant, specific, and accurate examples that support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. OR The response recommends less than two project management activities. The response includes inaccurate and irrelevant examples that may support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes two project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified, or it is missing. The response includes inaccurate and vague examples that do not support the justification for the use of project management activities to address the quality improvement practice gap identified, or it is missing. |
|
| Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. |
Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. |
|
| Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. |
|
| Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct APA format with no errors. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. |
Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. |
|
| Total Points: 100 | |||||
Name: NURS_8302_Week4_Assignment1_Rubric
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