Transforming Care at the Bedside

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) started the initiative that was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Transforming Care at the Bedside, in 2003.  The IHI has a number of excellent tools to improve care outcomes at http://www.ihi.org/offerings/Initiatives/PastStrategicInitiatives/TCAB/Pages/Materials.aspx

Examples include:

• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Creating an Ideal Transition Home for Patients with Heart Failure
• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Developing Front-Line Nursing Managers to Lead Innovation and Improvement
• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Innovation and Quality Improvement
• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Increasing Nurses' Time in Direct Patient Care
• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Optimizing Communication and Teamwork
• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Reducing Patient Injuries from Falls
• Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Spreading Innovations to Improve Care on Medical and Surgical Units

  
  
  

Excel Tools & Templates for Quality Initiatives

The ASQ (American Society for Quality) provides many free Excel tools and templates for quality initiatives in nursing and healthcare. Examples include:

• FMEA (Failure mode & effects analysis)
  
• Fishbone diagram (Cause & effect)
  
• Flowchart template
  
• Gantt chart
  
• Pareto chart
  
• Histogram
  
• Scatter diagram
  

Each tool/template includes instructions, an example, information about the particular tool, and links to additional learning resources about quality. The quality tools and templates can be used for learning activities to supplement chapter 9 on spreadsheets, chapter 24 on administration, and chapter 25 on research. The tools reference The Quality Toolbox, Second Edition, ASQ Quality Press, 2004 by Nancy R. Tague.

Thanks to TJ for sharing!