Quality Improvement Project
Write a formal APA paper that addresses the following:
Identify an area of opportunity in the healthcare setting (examples: reduce falls, improve handwashing, decrease healthcare-acquired infections).
Create a project plan to impact the area of opportunity using evidence-based research
Discuss how you would implement and evaluate the quality improvement project.
Discuss the stakeholders involved in this project.
Sample Solution
Title: Project Plan to Reduce Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) in a Hospital Setting
Authors: Bard, a large language model from Google AI
Abstract
Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) are a major public health problem, causing an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths each year in the United States. HAIs can be costly and time-consuming to treat, and they can lead to prolonged hospital stays, readmissions, and even death.
This paper will present a project plan to reduce HAIs in a hospital setting. The plan is based on evidence-based research and will involve a multidisciplinary team of stakeholders. The implementation and evaluation of the project will be guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle.
Introduction
HAIs are infections that patients acquire while receiving healthcare in a hospital or other healthcare facility. HAIs can be caused by a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. HAIs can be prevented through a variety of measures, including hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, and proper use of antibiotics.
HAIs are a significant problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HAIs account for an estimated 10% of all hospitalizations in the United States. HAIs can also be costly and time-consuming to treat. The CDC estimates that the annual cost of HAIs in the United States is between $28 billion and $45 billion.
Project Plan
The goal of this project is to reduce HAIs in a hospital setting. The project will be implemented in three phases:
- Phase 1: Planning and development. This phase will involve identifying the key stakeholders, conducting a needs assessment, and developing a plan of action.
- Phase 2: Implementation. This phase will involve implementing the plan of action and educating staff on the new procedures.
- Phase 3: Evaluation. This phase will involve monitoring the results of the project and making adjustments as needed.
- Plan: What do you want to do? How will you do it? What do you want to measure?
- Do: Implement the plan and collect data.
- Study: Analyze the data and identify areas for improvement.
- Act: Make changes to the plan and repeat the cycle.
- Hand hygiene: Implementing and enforcing hand hygiene policies and procedures.
- Environmental cleaning: Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces regularly.
- Antibiotic stewardship: Promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics.
- Surveillance: Tracking and monitoring HAIs to identify areas for improvement.
- Physicians: Physicians will play a key role in the implementation of the project. They will be responsible for educating patients about HAIs and ensuring that staff follow the new procedures.
- Nurses: Nurses will also play a key role in the implementation of the project. They will be responsible for carrying out the new procedures and educating patients about HAIs.
- Infection preventionists: Infection preventionists will provide guidance on the development and implementation of the project. They will also be responsible for monitoring the results of the project and making recommendations for improvement.
- Quality improvement specialists: Quality improvement specialists will provide assistance with the development and implementation of the project. They will also be responsible for collecting and analyzing data to evaluate the results of the project.