Discuss The purpose of the quality improvement initiative.
Executive Summary

In this assignment, you will propose a quality improvement initiative from your place of employment that could easily be implemented if approved. Assume you are presenting this program to the board for approval of funding. Write an executive summary (750-1,000 words) to present to the board, from which the board will make its decision to fund your program or project. Include the following:
The purpose of the quality improvement initiative.
The target population or audience.
The benefits of the quality improvement initiative.
The interprofessional collaboration that would be required to implement the quality improvement initiative.
The cost or budget justification.
The basis upon which the quality improvement initiative will be evaluated.
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Quality Improvement Program for Nursing Home

Executive Summary

According to (WHO, 2020) facts, falls are the second leading cause of unintentional/accidental injury and cause an estimated 646000 deaths annually. Adults over 65 years account for the most casualties, with over 37 million falls requiring medical attention every year. Moreover, (CDC.gov, 2003), states that typical nursing home (with 100 beds or more) record hundreds of falls – many going unreported. A Bavarian study by (Büchele, 2014) postulates that the fall rates are higher in men (2.18 falls per person-year) than in women (1.49 falls per person-year) with three-quarters of the falls occurring in the residents’ rooms or bathrooms. Having worked in a seniors’ living facility for a couple of months, I realized that the facility had put very few measures to mitigate injury and death from falls in the facility. This quality improvement plan was created to help curb the prevalence of falls amongst older adults living within a nursing facility.

Target Population/Audience

More than 1.4 million seniors are living in over 15000 nursing homes across the US (CDC.gov, 2016). This plan is meant to benefit the 212 seniors living within the facility where I work as well as the millions of others living in nursing facilities in the US and globally.

Benefits of the Program

The plans seek to increase the number of support rails in the residents’ rooms, common areas, and high-risk areas as well as sensitizing residents on preventive measures against falls. Once implemented, the plan will benefit both the residents and staff living or working in the facility by reducing the number of falls. The sensitization program will also help older people to prevent any injuries or casualties resulting from accidental or unintentional falls during their stay within the facility.

Interprofessional Collaboration Strategy

For any quality improvement program to become successful and effective (Reeves, 2017) states that there must be a collaboration between healthcare professionals, stakeholders, and the target population. The plan will be useful and successful if a healthcare professional upholds collaboration in the facility and the members. The partnership will be required between facility staff, management, and the seniors living there. Each stakeholder plays a specific role in actualizing the program and ultimately boosting seniors’ safety within the facility. The main stakeholders include the Director of Nursing (DON) at the facility, Head Nurse (HN), CareGivers (CG), and the facility’s physical development team.

Director of Nursing (DON)

The DON plays an executive and oversight role in the program. As the chief decision-maker in the facility, she will approve all plans and models of the program and oversee its adoption and actualization in the facility. She also endorses program budgets and manages the accounts on behalf of all stakeholders. The DON receives briefings and opinions from the head nurse, registered nurses, and the facility’s physical development team.

Head Nurse (HN)

The HN oversees the implementation of the program at the ground level. She receives briefs from registered nurses and the facility’s physical development team and relays it to the DON for approval. The RN distributes resources and oversees program materials are provided and trickle-down promptly. As the project manager, the HN will ensure all plans are actualized and all steps put in place to ensure project success and effectiveness.

CareGivers (CG)

The CGs are the link between the seniors and the management. They are responsible for the actualization of the plans and training of the members on the program. CGs will ensure the support rails are fixed appropriately and in the right areas to minimize falls within the facility. They receive budget estimates from the physical development team and forward them to the registered nurses for approval.

Physical Development Team

The team is responsible for the erection and fixation of the support rails within the facilities. It will also ensure measures like resurfacing slippery floors, putting warnings and hazards in high-risk areas and ensuring common areas and seniors’ rooms are free from fall hazards.

Budget Estimates for the Program

The program entails fixing hand and support rails within the facility, seniors rooms, common areas and bathrooms. A few modifications will also be made in high risks areas like eradicating slippery floors. Support/grab rails cost $20-$30 per bar. The facility has 14 male shower rooms and 19 female shower rooms. Each shower requires at least 2 bars amounting to $100 per bath. All 212 seniors’ rooms will also need two support bars each – amounting to $50 per cabin. Physical improvements and training of members will require at least $1200 and $500 respectively. According to the above estimates, the entire program’s budget is approximately $15000.

Program Evaluation

Program evaluation is fundamental to any quality improvement program. According to (Pritham, 2016), the assessment allows stakeholders to determine the effects of the programs, its success, and possible improvements that can make it more effective. The program will be evaluated every month to determine whether it helps curb the number of falls amongst seniors living within the facility. Where loopholes are identified, actions will be taken swiftly to ensure the program runs effectively.

References
Büchele, G. B. (2014). Predictors of serious consequences of falls in residential aged care: analysis of more than 70,000 falls from residents of Bavarian nursing homes. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 15(8), 559-563.

CDC.gov. (2003, February 27). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Retrieved from CDC.gov: https://www.in.gov/isdh/files/CDC_Falls_in_Nursing_Homes.pdf

CDC.gov. (2016, March 11). Center for Disease Conntrol and Prevention . Retrieved from CDC.gov : https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/nursing-home-care.htm

Pritham, U. A. (2016). Assessing DNP impact using program evaluations to capture healthcare system change. The Nurse Practitioner, 41(4), 44-53.

Reeves, S. P. (2017). Interprofessional collaboration to improve professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (6).

WHO. (2020, March 20). World Health Organization . Retrieved from World Health Organization.int: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls