Week Four Article Assignment Instructions
The assignment is to read an article by Kucharczulet al. (2021) on quality, process improvement
methodologies, and statistical process control, then summarize the findings. Students will then discuss the study in Discussion Board. The article’s reference is provided below for your online access. The
article discusses the implementation of a standardized planning tool to: (a) improve patients’ discharge time from the study hospital, and (b) reduce patient readmission rates to the study hospital. Statistical process control, quality, and data-driven, performance improvement initiatives are not discussed in our statistics’ textbook. We will touch on these topics through this article review.
After reading the article, write a one-to-two-page summary of the article. Answer the following questions in your summary and add any other observations as you desire.
1. Describe the quality improvement (QI) project and performance tools used. 2Pts
2. Why was the standardization of the discharge process needed? 2pts
3. What were the specific aims or purpose of the initiative? 2pts
4. Describe the intervention the Advanced Practice Practitioners (APP) implemented. What level of prevention was the intervention? Explain. 2pts
5. Summarize the project results for 30-day unplanned readmission rates, percentage of discharges before noon, and APP satisfaction with the project. 3pts
6. How was the outcome established? 2pts
7. Describe how the SPC might be used in community/population-based outcomes research. 2pts
8. Share any personal experiences you have with quality and performance improvement projects at your job setting. Describe what has worked. 2pts
9. Predicting which patients are at increased risk for readmissions is an effective measure to
prevent readmissions. Can you discuss 2 approaches that would be used for screening patients who are at increased risk of readmissions? 2pts
10. There are several elements that result in hospital readmissions, identify at least 3 key factors, one from; personal, policy, and organizational spheres that can be addressed to decrease
readmissions maximally. 3pts
11. For leadership, can you offer 3 substantive approaches that would be applied at a population level to mitigate risks of readmissions. 3pts
Submit your assignment here.
Kucharczul, C., Kodan, A., Rabatin, S., Senger, J., Brinley, S., & Cruz, J. (2021). Standardized discharge planning tool leads to earlier discharges and fewer readmissions. Journal of Nursing Care
Quality, 37(1), 54-60. https://doi: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000558
Footnote: An article on using SPSS for process control and quality is also provided for information only. Good summary of the different types of quality charts availablein the SPSS quality