NURS FPX 8010 Assessment 4 Quality Improvement Proposal

Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX 8010 Executive Leadership in Contemporary Nursing

Prof. Name

Date

Department Strategic Priorities

A successful nurse leader can establish an effective strategic plan that can be utilized both now and in the future. Such a plan offers an opportunity for the nursing executives to reorganize or refresh the organization. To achieve optimal patient care outcomes, nurse executives must collaborate with their teams to devise a robust strategic plan (Lal, 2020). For the organization to provide cost-effective, high-quality patient care, the executive team should engage in strategic planning and develop a balanced scorecard (see Figure A1).

Inbox management remains a significant issue, particularly in the communication between providers and patients. The increased use of email and text communication highlights the need for improved systems. Life Care Centers currently uses ECW, a platform for patient communication, but there are delays in message transmission, which is an ongoing challenge. Patients communicate through the portal, but delays in inbox management have led to a 15% increase in delayed care incidents in the last quarter. This issue could negatively affect the organization’s reputation.

The problem persists because the more messages accumulate without being addressed, the more difficult it becomes for providers to catch up, ultimately impacting patient care and the organization’s reputation. The root cause lies in the overburdened staff, who lack adequate time to manage the influx of messages. Life Care Center’s key performance indicator (KPI), patient satisfaction scores, is a central component of its balanced scorecard. To enhance patient satisfaction, the nursing executive team must implement changes centered on patient care. This quality improvement project aims to reduce provider inbox messages, thereby improving patient experiences and survey scores. A structured plan to educate staff, combined with daily meetings, can help elevate patient satisfaction rates above 90%. A proposal for this improvement is outlined in Figure A2.

Key Stakeholders and Policy Recommendations

Addressing this issue requires analyzing the underlying causes and obtaining buy-in from the providers. While there are many stakeholders in the organization, patients are the most critical, as they are the reason for everyone’s job (Eichler et al., 2018). To succeed, support from leadership is essential. A.B., who oversees informatics and data, will assist with data collection and analysis. His expertise will help introduce alerts that prioritize inbox management. F.R., responsible for Quality and Improvement, will help organize data while ensuring patient experience remains a priority. The Medical Director will oversee provider compliance and address concerns. The CFO and CEO of Life Care Center will serve as executive sponsors for this project.

The CEO, in particular, will communicate with the Medical Director to ensure patient safety within the system. Providers must also buy into the project, with support from the CEO, who has the political and organizational power to drive change. While there are existing policies regarding inbox management, there is a need to refine these policies to ensure timely message responses. Specifically, provider assistants could help manage and filter messages in the provider’s inbox. Additionally, policies regarding response times to patient messages should be updated to prevent delays in care.

A new policy could dictate that non-urgent messages be responded to within 72 hours, while urgent messages receive a response within two hours. Patients must also be educated that the inbox is not intended for emergencies or issues requiring immediate attention. Accountability measures and regular data reviews can help identify areas for improvement. Effective communication within the team will enhance patient safety and outcomes, as noted by Lang (2020). The project’s success will be measured by patient survey results reflecting improved response times and communication with providers, which will help restore the organization’s reputation and increase referrals.

SWOT Analysis and Contemporary Change Theory

In the political landscape at Life Care Center, the CEO holds the highest rank, as outlined in the organizational chart. Any changes must be approved by the CEO, reflecting the traditional power structure. Life Care Center has earned respect from community leaders who have fostered relationships based on trust. Lewin’s Change Theory is a widely adopted model for managing organizational change. The theory consists of three stages: unfreezing, change, and refreezing (Petiprin, 2020). Executives must understand the relevance of this theory, which has been effective for decades.

The unfreezing stage involves recognizing that old habits and processes are no longer effective. In the context of Life Care Center, outdated policies regarding provider-patient communication must be updated. The change stage requires leaders and teams to implement new policies and hold each other accountable. Finally, the refreezing stage ensures that the changes are cemented, preventing regression to old habits that negatively impact patients.

Life Care Center’s strategic priorities include four key areas: finances, patients, people, and wellness. The nursing department’s quality improvement proposal aligns with the organization’s patient satisfaction goals. A SWOT analysis revealed four areas of focus: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Conclusion

Life Care Center has experienced a decline in referrals and admissions due to communication issues between providers and patients via the electronic medical record (EMR) system. Delays in care and communication have strained relationships with local hospitals and referral sources. To resolve these issues, the entire team, including executive and leadership members, must understand and commit to the plan. By applying Lewin’s Change Theory, Life Care Center can improve patient satisfaction rates and community relationships, ultimately yielding better patient outcomes.

The SWOT analysis highlighted that teamwork can mitigate threats while emphasizing the strengths of the organization. A patient-centric model will enable the nursing department to enhance the patient experience. Improved inbox management, achieved through collaboration, will be measured by survey results, with a target of 90% patient satisfaction. The new communication policies will be implemented through weekly educational sessions and updates.

References

Eichler, H. G., Bloechl-Daum, B., Broich, K., et al. (2018). Data rich, information poor: Can we use electronic health records to create a learning healthcare system for pharmaceuticals? Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, September 4. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.1226.

Lal, M. (2020). Why you need a nursing strategic plan. Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(4), 183-184. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000863.

Lang, E. V. (2012). A better patient experience through better communication. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 31(4), 114-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jradnu.2012.08.001.

NURS FPX 8010 Assessment 4 Quality Improvement Proposal

Petiprin, A. (2020, July 19). Lewin’s change theory. Nursing Theory. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/lewin-change-theory.php.