Essay On Quality Improvement In Nursing

Implementing an advanced practice provider in triage is a quality improvement project. Traditional nurse-led triaging systems are no longer effective. The traditional approach consists of checking in with a primary triage nurse, registering, and having a secondary assessment by another triage nurse. The patient then waits for rooming to be seen by a provider and have a medical screening evaluation. Quality improvement is the process of systemically monitoring and measuring a process in health care, then implementing a change using the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) model. The data we have gleaned regarding implementing a nurse practitioner in triage can be used to improve patient’s LOS, LWBS, and adverse outcomes using the PDSA model.

The PDSA process is necessary because it can test work process quickly and implement change effectively. Collaboration is a key aspect in team formation prior to performing the PDSA. This step is instrumental in bringing key people to the team, because the team cannot perform well without the right people and the right leader. The team needs to

The aim of this PDSA project would be implementing an advanced practice provider in triage over a 30 day period during the peak hours of flow from noon-midnight. The defined population would be patients checking into triage, whether by emergency medical services or private vehicle, with an ESI of 3, 4, or 5. It will exclude pediatric patients and behavioral health patients. Measures to evaluate our aim would be to decrease LOS times by 30-40 minutes on average, decrease LWBS rates to the nationwide standard of 2%, as well as improving patient satisfaction noted on press-ganey surveys. The change centers on providing an advanced practice provider in triage, resulting in a quicker patient to medical screening evaluation time frame, as well as improvement in the workflow of the triage team and throughput time of the