Highlights
- •As the largest, most consistent provider of care, nurses play a pivotal role in improving care and patient outcomes at the frontline.
- •The Nursing Quality Improvement in Practice tool can be used to determine current levels of QI competence (e.g. knowledge, skills, and attitudes) and engagement of nurses in QI.
- •Strategies for increasing QI competence and engagement of nurses must be created and deployed in order to improve quality and safety.
Abstract
Background
Nurses play a pivotal role in improving patient care. To maximize nurses’ impact on
quality, nurses must have quality improvement (QI) competence and engage fully in
QI initiatives.
Purpose
To describe QI competence (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) among frontline nurses
and leaders; and compare variations in competence among nursing roles, experience,
and specialty areas.
Methods
A total of 681 nurses at one heath system fully completed the Nursing Quality Improvement
Practice tool electronically.
Findings
Half of the respondents reported QI engagement (53.6%). Mean knowledge scores were
5.08 (SD 1.16, 7 items). Skill proficiency was low (M = 2.82, SD = 1.03; range 1–6)
although QI attitudes were favorable (M = 3.76, SD = 0.63; range 1–5). Significant
differences in skills and attitudes were identified by role. QI competence among nurses
employed in various specialty areas were similar.
Discussion
Strategies for increasing QI competence and engagement of nurses must be created and
deployed in order to improve quality and safety.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 11, 2021
Accepted:
February 22,
2021
Received in revised form:
January 27,
2021
Received:
August 5,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
