Write an analysis, 4 pages in length, of the gap between current and desired performance, with respect to the provision of safe, high-quality patient care.
Preparation
As a nurse leader, you are fully aware of the hazardous nature of health care and that organizations must continually seek to improve the quality and safety of the care they provide to patients. For this assessment, you will identify a systemic problem in your organization, practice setting, or area of interest associated with adverse quality and safety outcomes (for example, an increase in the incidence of falls or medical errors) and analyze the gap between current and desired performance.
Requirements
Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the Quality and Safety Gap Analysis Scoring Guide. Be sure that your written analysis addresses each point, at a minimum.
Conducting the Analysis
- Identify a systemic problem in your organization, practice setting, or area of interest that contributes to the adverse quality and safety outcomes.
- Propose specific practice changes that will improve quality and safety outcomes and bridge the gap between current and desired performance.
- Prioritize proposed practice changes.
- Determine how proposed practice changes will foster a culture of quality and safety.
- Determine how a particular organizational culture or hierarchy might affect quality and safety outcomes.
- Justify necessary changes with respect to functions, processes, or behaviors, specific to your organization.
Writing and Supporting Evidence
- Communicate analysis data and information clearly and accurately, using correct grammar and mechanics.
- Integrate relevant and credible sources of evidence to support assertions, correctly formatting citations and references using APA style.
Additional Requirements
Format your document using APA style.
- Use the APA Paper Template linked above. Be sure to include:
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- A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
- A running head on all pages.
- Appropriate section headings.
- Properly formatted citations and references.
- Your analysis should be 4 pages in length, not including the title page and reference page.
Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save your gap analysis to your portfolio.
Competencies Measured
- Competency 1: Analyze quality and safety outcomes from an administrative and systems perspective.
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- Identify a systemic problem in an organization related to adverse quality and safety outcomes.
- Propose specific practice changes within an organization that will improve quality and safety outcomes and bridge the gap between current and desired performance.
- Prioritize proposed practice changes.
- Competency 2: Determine how outcome measures promote quality and safety processes within an organization
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- Determine how proposed practice changes will foster a culture of quality and safety.
- Competency 3: Determine how specific organizational functions, policies, processes, procedures, norms, and behaviors can be used to build reliable and high-performing organizations.
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- Determine how a particular organizational culture or hierarchy might affect or contribute to adverse quality and safety outcomes.
- Justify necessary changes to particular organizational functions, processes, and behaviors that correct or mitigate adverse quality and safety outcomes.
- Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style, consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
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- Communicate analysis data and information clearly and accurately, using correct grammar and mechanics.
- Integrate relevant and credible sources of evidence to support assertions, correctly formatting citations and references using APA style.
