Despite the high level of development and qualification of the working staff, skilled nursing facilities still face some problems that need to be solved. Hence, one of these problems is the problem of falls. Sources emphasize that “of the 1.6 million residents in U.S. nursing facilities, approximately half fall annually” (“The falls management program,” n.d., para. 2). This issue is of critical importance since, even though patients are not present in the skilled nursing facility all the time, unlike in nursing homes, this problem is still relevant. This is because there may be cases when the staff is either inattentive or insufficiently qualified, which leads to a deterioration in the quality of patient care. Thus, it can be said that the problem under study has a complex nature and requires the development of an initiative for a quick solution.
Therefore, the purpose of this scientific paper is the provision a possible quality improvement initiative, which would help to efficiently solve the problem of falls in a skilled nursing facility. The occurrence of such a problem as falls can seriously take outcomes of the treatment a few steps back, as they can have serious consequences (Kenny et al., 2017). Regardless of how long the patient stays in the institution, maintaining and ensuring the proper level of service provision is of great value. This is because in institutions of this type, help and caring for people should come first since the result of the work of employees directly affects the further well-being of patients.
Target Population
The choice of the target audience is of particular importance for the implementation of the initiative to improve the quality of assistance provided. Consequently, this approach can be investigated in patients of skilled nursing facility X. Since elderly patients are prone to having the problem of falls most often, the population for this study will be approximately 65 years and older.
Benefits of the Initiative
The introduction of quality improvement initiatives has a direct relationship with ensuring the well-being of patients and the successful results of treatment and therapy. Furthermore, the proposed approach will have several goals at once, each of which will provide benefits for both patients and healthcare providers. Firstly, the initiative on the quality of care will help to ensure the safety of patients, which is of critical importance. Falls can have serious health consequences, especially for the elderly population, which is why it is necessary to limit them in a health-improving institution. Further, the following advantage is the time component, since when optimizing work and avoiding problems, care and treatment can take a shorter time without losing the quality of the final results.
Another benefit is the focus on the patient since people, and the outcomes of their treatment at the skilled nursing home are of particular value. Positive customer experience and patient satisfaction with the services received will contribute to establishing customer loyalty. Moreover, it will positively affect the image of the medical organization and ensure competitiveness. The last benefit worth mentioning is that the quality-of-care initiative will help to significantly reduce the unnecessary costs of time, financial or human resources.
Interprofessional Collaboration
Interprofessional collaboration is of particular importance for improving the quality of health services provided and their results. Therefore, this concept includes the interaction of several qualified specialists to achieve a common goal (Coles et al., 2017). Research underlines that the “involvement of all these team members in a cooperative and coordinated way is essential to providing exceptional care” (Morley & Cashell, 2017, p. 207). Further, one of the foremost collaborations is the joint work of doctors and nurses to improve the quality of care for elderly patients. Moreover, interprofessional collaboration may arise when representatives of a medical institution and scientific researchers interact, who can provide statistical and analytical data on both the age group of patients under study and the problem of falls. Therefore, improved patient care will reduce medical errors, and faster treatment will be achieved.
The Budget Justification
To accurately determine the required budget, it is necessary to attract past research data, as well as to analyze the current market. Organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) can assist in this process. They can not only provide the necessary information but also help with the implementation of the program and the training of medical personnel. All expenses that may arise during the quality improvement initiative are aimed at improving the healthcare system. This determines the justification of the budget since the program will be aimed at the long-term perspective and the length of use.
Evaluation
The last but no less important step is the evaluation of the implemented initiative. Hence, this process will be carried out based on conducting surveys of both patients and medical staff about the convenience and success of the program. Moreover, it is possible to analyze medical data that can provide information about the satisfaction of medical outcomes.
References
Coles, E., Wells, M., Maxwell, M., Harris, F. M., Anderson, J., Gray, N. M., Milner, G., & MacGillivray, S. (2017). The influence of contextual factors on healthcare quality improvement initiatives: what works, for whom and in what setting? Protocol for a realist review.Systematic Reviews, 6(1), 1-10.
Kenny, R. A., Romero-Ortuno, R., & Kumar, P. (2017). Falls in older adults.Medicine, 45(1), 28-33.
Morley, L., & Cashell, A. (2017). Collaboration in health care. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 48(2), 207-216.
The falls management program: A quality improvement initiative for nursing facilities. (2017). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.