Continuous Quality Improvement In Nursing

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Continuous quality improvement and patient satisfaction are directly correlated. This association is realized as patient satisfaction is dependent on the quality of services provided. Therefore, businesses engage in continuous quality improvement practices to promote patient safety, patient experience, and to gain a competitive advantage. Hence, continuous quality improvement is necessary to insure positive outcomes and organizational success. With that said, nurse managers and leaders have a unique opportunity to exercise concepts of strategic management to enact change in areas where the need for improved quality of care and patient experience has been identified.
Leadership Strategies Nurse leaders and managers have overlapping roles in the process of continuous quality improvement and patient satisfaction. Regardless of the specific initiative, leadership strategies serve to accomplish the same goals established by management. However, leaders are typically frontline workers who possess interpersonal qualities that endorse a team culture, express a shared vision, empower others with focus and purpose, serve as a source of positive encouragement that assists others in overcoming challenges, and most importantly, serves to model the desired actions that will achieve organizational objectives (Gordon, n.d.). In addition, it is important to understand that leaders are not appointed a position of authority over others, rather they possess an ability to inspire those around them in a positive manner (“Lecture 1,” 2011). This absence of authority actually supports the leader’s role, as they model the desired behavior from a position of equal stature. This visibility and presence allows leaders to offer real-time education and redirection that immediately promotes behavioral changes according to quality improvement initiatives, thereby improving the patient care experience and satisfaction. Therefore, it is imperative that the nurse leader establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships, which will motivate others to follow in a specified direction. To summarize, nurse leaders approach quality improvement and patient satisfaction efforts from a grass-roots level, influencing people directly in order to promote positive changes that align with the organization’s mission and vision. Leadership Theories and Principles Leadership theories and principles assert that the actions of others can be positively impacted through channels of interpersonal relationships.
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Leaders portray characteristics that instill confidence and trust. This is necessary when change arises, because individuals look to leaders for direction and support. Continuous quality improvement efforts and patient satisfaction maintain that change is inevitable. Hence, the improvements are identified and planned prior to implementation. This demonstrates a theory of planned change. Planned change incorporates three phases of unfreezing, moving, and refreezing (Huber, 2140). Change can create a feeling of discord among staff, thus negatively influencing patient satisfaction. Thus, a phase of unfreezing is used to prepare individuals for the anticipated change. This may require creative approaches, as not all individuals are inspired or motivated in the same way. In the moving phase, the leader provides direction and support as change actively occurs. During the refreezing phase, the leader evaluates the successful adoption of change. Leadership Skills and Roles A leader’s role is to elicit effective performance from others (Giltinane, 2013, p. …show more content…
35). There are three skills associated with leading and influencing, including the ability to identify, analyze, and resolve situations that arise, adapt to situations as appropriate, and communicate with others in a manner that promotes understanding and acceptance (Huber, 2014, p. 4). Collectively, these abilities are determined by one’s level of emotional intelligence. A high level of emotional intelligence is demonstrated by a high degree of self-awareness, self-management, intuition, and an ability to form effective interpersonal relationships (Huber, 2014). Additionally, it is important for leaders to recognize their own weaknesses, so that they are able to follow when someone else is the better leader. This behavior instills trust and further serves to foster a team culture. In relation to continuous quality improvement and patient satisfaction, leaders advance the understanding of individuals and help them to adapt and implement the behaviors necessary to effect change. Management Strategies Management is a process used to identify, plan and implement systems and structures to improve organizational processes (Huber, 2014, p. 1). Continuous quality improvement requires managers to continually survey and evaluate workplace environments, processes, and cultures. Once a need for improvement has been identified, a strategic plan must be developed. It is important for managers to align improvement objectives with the organization’s current mission and vision. Once objectives are established, an

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