Quality In Healthcare

According to Mitchell (2013) this phase can be referred to as the implementation stage of the change. To implement successful change requires teamwork. At this stage the RN’s, CSW’s and ward manager will be working collaboratively with the patients to implement the proposed SI. Brent and Dent (2014) define a team as a group of individuals with a common purpose. They believe that a team needs differing “complementary skills” and that having a diverse set of skills and experiences will help achieve a common goal. Gluyas (2015) suggests that to deliver safe and effective care there has to be good teamwork. Additionally, Kulakkottu Scaria (2016) argues that a team that does not work well together could result in poor outcomes. Involving the MDT
Barr and Dowding (2016) suggest most people can decide between good and bad, however, defining quality is subjective and identifying quality can be difficult due to differing opinions (Gopee and Galloway, 2014). The Department of Health (DH) published a report called High Quality Care for All (DH, 2008) to express their goal of making quality of care the most important aspect of the National Health Service. The report defined quality into areas of care that is effective, evidence based, personalised and safe (DH, 2008). These main areas of quality have since been the foundation of legislation such as the Health and Care Social Care Act (2012). In regards to the proposed SI the desired outcomes for effectiveness are that patients will experience longer sleep, which will then reduce their recovery time and their stay in hospital. The outcomes for safety are that patients will not come to any harm whilst the eye masks and ear plugs are being used, for example, risk of falls and infection control measures. Finally, the personalisation or patient experience outcome is for patients to experience better sleep, that their overall experience of care is positive and that they would recommend the trust to
Gopee and Galloway (2016) acknowledge that whilst research is about identifying best practice, clinical audits are concerned with if interventions are following the best practice. However, Ashmore and Ruthven (2008) identify that when best practice is not known, then research is favoured over clinical audit. NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (NHSIII) (2005) describe evaluation as a way of obtaining knowledge through a systematic investigation, similar to research. Evaluation is a way of deciding the value of an improvement and a simple way for other staff to use the findings to make improvements in their own areas (NHSIII, 2005). Therefore, as the proposed SI has no national guidelines surrounding its use, to measure the intended outcomes the proposed project will be outcome evaluated on site. Outcome evaluations will be utilised as they can focus on the impact of the SI (NHSIII, 2005). Quantitative data will be collected including the number of patients assessed for safe use and offered the eye masks and ear plugs and Likert scales will be utilised for patients to score their length and quality of sleep. McLeod (2008) advises that Likert scales allow for levels of opinion rather than a yes or no answer, this aids in collecting quantitative data. However, McLeod (2008) does stipulate that social conformability can influence a person’s response and advises that