Assignment Task
An Introduction to this Subject
Contemporary clinical leaders, practitioners and health service managers are held accountable for improving quality and safety in health care. Developing a safety culture that incorporates teamwork is an effective way to ensure safe, quality care outcomes for patients. In this subject, students will analyse the main concepts of quality, health care safety, governance frameworks and strategies to improve system performance. Students will apply and critique approaches to quality of care and patient safety, by in-cooperating human factors. In addition, students will analyse risk management and effects of organisational factors that influence quality and safety. Students will explore the leadership required to develop systematic, coherent quality improvement frameworks and quality initiatives that they can directly apply in their own practice to sustain patient and organisational safety.
Aim of assessment
The aim of this assessment task is for students to respond to 3 self-selected topics that are based on the content in Modules (1 & 2) and associated readings. This assessment task enables students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of key concepts related to quality and safety in healthcare delivery.
Questions
1. Define quality in health care and explain the key principles and characteristics of total quality management(TQM) / continuous quality improvement (CQI) in the health care context. In your answer include a brief discussion about how TQM / CQI approaches differ from industry, or business-based quality management and performance improvement methods. Refer to one of the following industry, or business-based, quality management and performance improvement methods; a) six sigma, b) lean thinking or c) balanced scorecard in your discussion.
2. Consider the terms ’patient safety and safety in health care’ and respond to the following questions. What is meant by the term ’patient safety’? Differentiate between safety in health care and patient safety. In the context of patient safety, what is understood by the term risk management and what is its aim? Briefly discuss the approaches and/or tools that a health professional is likely to use when completing a risk analysis.
3. Explain what is meant by the term ’safety culture’ in health care and discuss how it can be measured? What is the significance of a poor safety culture for health care professionals and patients?
4. Does clinical governance differ from clinical leadership in the context of quality and safety in health care provision? In your discussion include an overview of how professional communication between health professionals can enhance or impair the safety and wellbeing of patients.
5. In 2012 the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare implemented National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. The standards were reviewed in 2017 and are now updated in 2021, 2nd edition. Why were the standards developed and how have they changed over time? Identify and explain two legal or monitoring requirements incorporated in the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and explain how they enhance quality and safety in health care.