Write 8-10 pages in which you identify a major patient-safety issue (I have chosen hospital acquired infections [HAIs]) within your own organization and use evidence-based best practices and technology to develop a plan to improve the safety issue. Quality improvement and patient safety are central to the nursing leadership role. Central to the nursing leadership role, quality improvement and patient safety are analyzed from many perspectives. Types of quality improvement and patient safety programs may range from internal, organization-based quality improvement team reports to external benchmarks from The Joint Commission, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), MAGNET, and numerous other organizations.

Preparation

As you prepare for this assessment, complete the following:

1. Before you begin, examine your organization’s history of safety in a specific area and how your organization addresses patient safety issues. If possible, consult with a key stakeholder in the organization (such as an administrator) to better understand specific patient-safety concerns and how the organization is working to resolve the concerns. This person should also be able to discuss some of the organizational barriers impacting the patient safety issue.
2. Next, look at the basic concepts, principles, and practices that contribute to organizational quality improvement and patient safety. Review the literature for best practices and how technology might be used to improve the issue.
3. Finally, be sure to consider the legal and ethical implications associated with the safety issue, as well as possible organizational barriers to change.

Directions

As you construct this assessment, address each point as completely as possible:

• Describe a patient-safety issue within your organization.

• Compare the way your organization addresses patient-safety issues with the concepts, principles, and practices that contribute to quality improvement and patient safety.
• Analyze the legal and ethical consequences of not addressing the issue.
• Recommend evidence-based interventions to address the patient-safety issue.
• Explain how technology can be used to improve the issue.
• Identify possible organizational barriers to change (budget, vision, technology, et cetera).
• Describe strategies to overcome organizational barriers to change, based on your knowledge of the organization.

Additional Requirements

• Format: Include a title page and reference page. Use APA style and formatting.
• Length: Ensure your completed assessment is 8-10 pages in length, not including the title page and reference page.
• References: Cite at least five current scholarly or professional resources.