Analysis of Quality Improvement using PDSA Cycle in Healthcare Setting

This essay examines the application of the quality improvement (QI) cycle, specifically the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model, in healthcare settings with a focus on infection prevention. It begins by defining the PDSA cycle and its four stages: planning objectives, implementing changes, studying results, and acting upon findings to refine the process. The essay highlights the significance of QI in controlling outbreaks and improving patient care. The essay references the Havelock North outbreak to illustrate the effectiveness of the QI cycle. The essay discusses the importance of QI cycles and their application to address and prevent outbreaks. It also discusses the inefficiency of the cycle in the Havelock North outbreak. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of the PDSA cycle for improving healthcare practices and reducing hospital-acquired infections. The essay also highlights the importance of the PDSA cycle in intervening in such outbreaks.

Running head: QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Quality Management using PDSA Cycle
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
The delivery of Health care system, faces adverse confrontation in highlighting the
urge to align alterations in behavior and practices across various levels and areas of the
community, which are working to improve patient experience. Health care agencies, which
are already experienced with the many providers engaged in clinical quality improvement
(QI), can take advantage of proven standards and strategies for quality improvement
techniques.
The process of quality improvements is a schematic pattern of systematic and
documented operations designed to enhance practices. It is commonly defined in a process of
four steps which include plan, do, study, and act (PDSA) (Donnelly, & Kirk. 2015). Plan is
the phase that includes determining an objective or intent, formulating a strategy or theory for
improvement, establishing measures for progress and executing a plan. Whereas, Do is the
phase where the program elements are put into practice. Study is the phase that includes
reviewing results to check the plan's validity for signs of improvement and achievement, or
issues and flaws. Short-cycle, small-scale experiments, combined with test results review, are
beneficial for teams or microsystems prior applying interventions more broadly as benefits
from these tests can be achieved. Act is the move that shuts down the cycle, integrating the
study generated by the overall process that can be used to modify the aim, alter methods, or
even completely revise an action plan for intervention or enhancement (Taylor et al. 2014).
Changes that were planned for improvement of quality are Chlorine water treatment,
internal review of new water sources, recruitment of new water analysts and lifting of
boreheads above the surface was planned. Processes were implemented and review groups
were settled to analyze the process to control the 2016 outbreak of campylobacteriosis in
Havelock North.

2QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
The study was processed and it was noticed that there was a negligible 1.1 percent
upgrade in the amount of people who have been given drinking water-compliant requirements
even after the measures were implemented. Compliance with protozoan standards was
accountable for elevating overall compliance rates among 1.1 percent, while compliance with
bacterial and chemical levels fell by 1.4 percent and 1.3 percent respectively. Factors
accountable for the inefficient quality assurance cycle include ineffective enforcement policy,
lack of direct local accountability, under-resourced water supply assessors, shortage of
qualified officials, inadequate monitoring, lack of competence and governance.
This essay discussed the process of health promotion and its importance in controlling risk of
epidemic, and also described its inefficiency in the outbreak of Havelock North. Moreover, it
also stated the use of PDSA and its importance, which can be used of intervening such
outbreaks.

3QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Reference
Donnelly, P., & Kirk, P. (2015). Use the PDSA model for effective change
management. Education for Primary Care, 26(4), 279-281.
Taylor, M. J., McNicholas, C., Nicolay, C., Darzi, A., Bell, D., & Reed, J. E. (2014).
Systematic review of the application of the plan–do–study–act method to improve
quality in healthcare. BMJ Qual Saf, 23(4), 290-298