Quality improvement collaborative: A novel approach to improve infection prevention and control. Perceptions of lead infection prevention nurses who participated

Abstract

Background:

In response to the ongoing infection prevention (IP) challenges in England, a 90-day quality improvement (QI) collaborative programme was developed. The paper discusses the approach, benefits, challenges and evaluation of the programme.

Objective:

The objective of the collaborative was to develop new approaches to enable sustainable and effective IP.

Methodology:

Six trusts in the region participated in the collaborative. Each defined their bespoke IP focus. There was no expectation that statistically significant measurable improvements would be identified during the short time frame. The experiences of the participants were sought both during the programme to facilitate its constant review and at the end of the programme to evaluate its effectiveness. The feedback focused on achievements, barriers to change and benefits of participating in a QI collaborative. To measure the potential success of the projects, participants completed the Model for Understanding Success in Quality framework. (MUSIQ; Kaplan et al., 2012).

Results:

Since each trusts IP focus was bespoke commonalities of success were not evaluated. Participants identified a positive outcome from their QI interventions. The MUSIQ score identified the projects had the potential for success.

Discussion:

The feedback from the participants demonstrated that it is worthy of further development.

Keywords

Evidence-based practice quality improvement PDSA

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Department of Health. (2013) UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013 to 2018. London: Department of Health. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018 (accessed 9 June 2017).

Department of Health. (2015) The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance. London: Department of Health. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-and-social-care-act-2008-code-of-practice-on-the-prevention-and-control-of-infections-and-related-guidance (accessed on 9 June 2017).

Dückers

MLA

Groenewegen

Wagner

. (2014) Quality improvement collaboratives and the wisdom of crowds: spread explained by perceived success at group level. Implementation Science 9: 91.

Health Foundation. (2013) Quality Improvement made simple: What everyone should know about health care quality improvement. London: Health Foundation. Available at: http://www.health.org.uk/publication/quality-improvement-made-simple (accessed 9 June 2017).

IP Society. Audit tools. Available at: http://www.ips.uk.net/professional-practice/quality-improvement-tools/quality-improvement-tools/ (accessed 26 July 2016).

Institute of Healthcare Improvement. (2003) The Breakthrough Series: IHI’s Collaborative Model for Achieving Breakthrough Improvement. IHI Innovation Series white paper. Boston, MA: Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Kaplan

Provost

Froehle

Margolis

. (2012) The Model for Understanding Success in Quality (MUSIQ): building a theory of context in healthcare quality improvement. British Medical Journal Quality and Safety 21: 13–20.

Langley

Moen

Nolan

Norman

Provost

. (2009) The Improvement Guide. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mittman

B. S

. (2004) Creating the evidence base for quality improvement collaboratives. Annals of Internal Medicine, 140(11), 897-901.

10.

NHS Health Research Authority. (2016) Defining Research. London: Health Research Authority. Available at: www.hra.nhs.uk/documents/2016/06/defining-research.pdf (accessed 9 June 2017).

11.

Public Health England. (2016) Plans to prevent hospital infections include more money for hospitals who reduce infection rates and publishing E. coli rates by local area. London: Public Health England. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/reducing-infections-in-the-nhs (accessed 13 February 2017).