Implementing quality and safety education for nurses (QSEN) project at AUBMC -

Abstract

Aim: The main purpose of this project is to propose a quality and safety educational program to prepare nurses to provide quality and safe care. Specific aims of this project are to explain what QSEN program is; highlight the importance of adopting the QSEN project; compare QSEN curriculum with the Hariri School of Nursing (HSON) undergraduate and graduate curriculum; compare QSEN curriculum with the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) orientation program; and propose quality and safety curriculum for hospital orientation program. Method: Literature review was undertaken to identify the importance of having quality and safety education for nurses at an early stage. This was followed by a comparison of the QSEN proposed program and the curricula at HSON and AUBMC orientation program. Common areas for quality and safety were identified as well as areas that are not addressed in the AUB-AUBMC nursing programs; specifically the ‘Systems Thinking’ approach to teaching and applying QSEN. Proposed program: An additional content namely, systems thinking was suggested to the available program at AUBMC orientation. The cost of applying the proposed program along with the business plan was presented, and a SWOT analysis was undertaken to assess the importance and the success of the program.Conclusion: Applying QSEN competencies and systems thinking has the potential to decrease the error rates at AUBMC, and thereby to control rates of morbidity and mortality. A reduction in errors will decrease organizational variable costs. The sooner nurses know and understand QSEN competencies-system thinking and learn how to apply it, the better the patient outcomes can be achieved.