Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)

QSEN is a national initiative that aims to improve patient care in the United States by enhancing the education and training of nurses in quality and safety competencies. The initiative was launched in 2004 by the National Quality Forum and the Institute of Medicine. The QSEN project addresses the challenge of preparing future nurses with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) necessary to continuously improve the quality and safety of the healthcare systems within which they work.

QSEN Competencies

The QSEN project has identified six core competencies for nurses:

1. Patient-Centered Care: Nurses provide care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values.
2. Teamwork and Collaboration: Nurses work effectively with other healthcare professionals to provide patient care.
3. Evidence-Based Practice: Nurses integrate best available evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences when making decisions about patient care.
4. Quality Improvement: Nurses participate in systematic and ongoing efforts to improve patient care processes and outcomes.
5. Safety: Nurses work to prevent and minimize harm to patients and healthcare personnel.
6. Informatics: Nurses use information and technology to enhance patient care and improve patient outcomes.

QSEN and This Course

This course aligns with the QSEN competencies by emphasizing the importance of patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics in nursing practice. The course provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver high-quality, safe patient care.

Specifically, this course helps students to:

• Develop a patient-centered approach to care: Students learn how to assess patient needs, preferences, and values, and how to incorporate these factors into their care plans.
• Work effectively as part of a team: Students learn how to communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals, how to collaborate on patient care, and how to resolve conflicts.
• Apply evidence-based practice: Students learn how to find, evaluate, and apply evidence to their practice.
• Participate in quality improvement: Students learn how to identify and implement quality improvement initiatives.
• Create a safe environment for patients: Students learn how to identify and prevent patient safety hazards.
• Use technology to improve patient care: Students learn how to use information and technology to access patient information, communicate with other healthcare professionals, and improve patient outcomes.

By emphasizing these QSEN competencies, this course helps to prepare students to become safe, high-quality, patient-centered nurses.

Conclusion

QSEN is an important initiative that is improving the quality and safety of patient care in the United States. This course aligns with the QSEN competencies by emphasizing the importance of patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics in nursing practice. The course provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver high-quality, safe patient care.