Other Titles

Using quality to impact global nursing leadership

Abstract

Session presented on Monday, July 28, 2014:

Purpose: Performance data can be used to monitor and guide interventions aimed at improving the quality and safety of patient care.[1-4] Nursing plays an important role in quality management and performance improvement at the clinical level due to their interactions with patients and at an operational level nurse leaders have a key role in informing resource allocation and patient safety monitoring.[1,3,4] To use performance data effectively, nurses need to understand how to interpret and utilize data in meaningful ways to guide practice. Unless clinical nurses have knowledge about performance improvement measures, exposure to data reporting mechanisms, and shared accountability for quality, it may be difficult for them to participate in data-driven care.[1] One mechanism to provide feedback on patient outcomes, experiences, and processes of care is the use of dashboards. In this context, one hospital developed a unit specific dashboard aligned with the implementation of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario's Best Practice Guidelines. A study was undertaken to explore the perceptions and experiences of front-line nurses and managers associated with implementation of a unit-level dashboard.

Methods: A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the perceptions and experiences of front-line nurses and managers associated with the implementation of a unit-level dashboard, referred to as the CUE dashboard. The CUE dashboard initiative was implemented throughout a large, urban teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and involved six hospital units (outpatient mobility, emergency department, general internal medicine, general surgery, cardiac intensive care, and respirology). Data was analyzed using a directed content analysis approach.

Results: A total of 61 interviews (56 front-line nurses and 5 unit managers) were conducted from the following clinical units: general internal medicine (n = 12); general surgery (n =11); respirology (n =10); out-patient mobility (n = 5); emergency (n = 12); and coronary care unit (n=6). Key themes emerged around the enablers and barriers associated with implementation that included learning in a supportive work environment and finding times amidst clinical care priorities.

Conclusion: The study findings highlight how front-line nurses and managers viewed implementation of a unit-specific dashboard. This study also provided insight into the experiences nurses and managers had during this process as well as key recommendations on how it could be better utilized. Based on these results, nurse leaders may consider investing in the use of dashboards as a quality improvement strategy, or may use study findings to optimize the use of performance data by using dashboards in their organizations.

Author Details

Joyce Lo, RN, BScN, MN; Susan Beswick, RN, MN; Heather Campbell, RN, MS; Lianne P. Jeffs, RN, BScN, MSc, PhD; Ella Ferris, RN, MBA

Sigma Membership

Lambda Pi at-Large

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

Qualitative Research

Keywords:

Nursing Performance, Dashboard, Quality Care

Conference Name

25th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Hong Kong

Conference Year

2014

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Share

COinS
 

Leveraging data to drive quality patient care: The value of a unit-specific nursing performance dashboard

Hong Kong

Session presented on Monday, July 28, 2014:

Purpose: Performance data can be used to monitor and guide interventions aimed at improving the quality and safety of patient care.[1-4] Nursing plays an important role in quality management and performance improvement at the clinical level due to their interactions with patients and at an operational level nurse leaders have a key role in informing resource allocation and patient safety monitoring.[1,3,4] To use performance data effectively, nurses need to understand how to interpret and utilize data in meaningful ways to guide practice. Unless clinical nurses have knowledge about performance improvement measures, exposure to data reporting mechanisms, and shared accountability for quality, it may be difficult for them to participate in data-driven care.[1] One mechanism to provide feedback on patient outcomes, experiences, and processes of care is the use of dashboards. In this context, one hospital developed a unit specific dashboard aligned with the implementation of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario's Best Practice Guidelines. A study was undertaken to explore the perceptions and experiences of front-line nurses and managers associated with implementation of a unit-level dashboard.

Methods: A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the perceptions and experiences of front-line nurses and managers associated with the implementation of a unit-level dashboard, referred to as the CUE dashboard. The CUE dashboard initiative was implemented throughout a large, urban teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and involved six hospital units (outpatient mobility, emergency department, general internal medicine, general surgery, cardiac intensive care, and respirology). Data was analyzed using a directed content analysis approach.

Results: A total of 61 interviews (56 front-line nurses and 5 unit managers) were conducted from the following clinical units: general internal medicine (n = 12); general surgery (n =11); respirology (n =10); out-patient mobility (n = 5); emergency (n = 12); and coronary care unit (n=6). Key themes emerged around the enablers and barriers associated with implementation that included learning in a supportive work environment and finding times amidst clinical care priorities.

Conclusion: The study findings highlight how front-line nurses and managers viewed implementation of a unit-specific dashboard. This study also provided insight into the experiences nurses and managers had during this process as well as key recommendations on how it could be better utilized. Based on these results, nurse leaders may consider investing in the use of dashboards as a quality improvement strategy, or may use study findings to optimize the use of performance data by using dashboards in their organizations.