Nurses strive for quality, safety

University of Kansas Hospital nurses started a Quality Safety Investigators group a year ago to increase quality and safety at the facility.

Nurses on units throughout the hospital meet once a month to discuss quality issues.

Liz Carlton, MSN, RN, CCRN, director of quality, safety and regulatory compliance at KU Hospital, said the idea came about at a Magnet conference.

“We were really energized by what we saw and heard at Magnet,” Carlton said. “The main goal is to drive the quality care initiative at the bedside.”

Nurses had to fill out an application to join the Quality Safety Investigators group, also known as QSI.

“We wanted folks who wanted to be involved,” Carlton said. “It’s an application process and once they apply they agree to a year commitment.”

Managers sign a contract that says nurses who participate in QSI will be allowed to attend monthly meetings.

“The managers are working really, really hard to make sure that they get the time and support that they need to participate,” Carlton said.

Topics discussed at QSI include hand hygiene, communication and distractions.

Nurses start initiatives on their units based on these discussions.

“They allow us to kind of run with the idea,” said Jennifer Parks, RN, a nurse in the burn unit who participates in QSI.

Parks said she wanted to apply for QSI when she first heard about the group.

“I’ve always been interested in quality improvement projects,” she said.

She said QSI helps her see the bigger picture beyond bedside nursing.

“It’s an entire team approach,” Parks said. “There’s much more to nursing then just the bedside care.”

Beverly King, RN, a nurse in the urology and ear, nose and throat department, said she has benefited as a member of the QSI group.

“I filled out the application because I was very interested in helping improve the quality of the unit,” King said. “We’re bringing consistent information throughout the whole hospital.”

Labor and delivery nurse Rebecca Brunner, RN, said it is easier to initiate change on the units with the backing of QSI.

“It’s made it into a more formal pathway for change,” Brunner said.

Advance for Nurses published an article about KU’s QSI program.

“What I wanted the QSIs to have was passion and interest in quality,” Carlton stated in the article.

Carlton said she believes those involved in QSI have developed that passion.

She said she has already received inquiries from other facilities that want to implement the program.

“The concept of getting bedside nurses educated, giving them the tools and resources that they need to make a difference is pretty basic,” Carlton said.

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