Forms of Nursing Inquiry: Quality improvement (QI), Research, and Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Select either EBP, research, or QI and identify how the selected approach is implemented to improve outcomes at your workplace.

            Nursing practice involves three inquiries that are significant to healthcare outcomes.  Since the inception of the nursing profession, many advancements have occurred.  Healthcare will continue to evolve through research leading to evidence-based practice (EBP), and consistently including quality improvement (QI).  Nurses are particularly instrumental with their knowledge base and skills learned.  Quality improvement (QI), research, and evidence-based practice (EBP) each have a role in nursing.  Although their aims, methods, and outcomes differ, the common goal is to promote optimal outcomes.   

            Quality improvement (QI) is a model implementing change.  When problems are identified, the process for quality improvement is executed (Zaccagnini & White, 2017).  QI is utilized in identifying performance gaps within nursing practice, process, or systems.  It is applied throughout units, departments, and organizations.  The Quality Improvement Model (QIM) contains four phases: Plan, Do, Study, and Act [PDSA] (Joyce, et al., 2019).  Working in the public/community health setting, nursing care is directed towards prevention.  The key is to educate patients and ensure their competency with their healthcare.  The QIM is implemented at my workplace from evaluating the patients’ behaviors based on their understanding of preventive care and continuing regularly scheduled appointments.  Typically, in public/community health facilities, monthly meetings are held with the providers to review measures defined by the Uniform Data System (UDS).  Facilities receive standardized reporting for review to compare to other facilities, then establish goals to increase the patients’ outcomes. 

How do you know this approach is utilized?

             QI is the approach utilized because it is referenced at every provider meeting.  On a smaller comparison, quality improvement is separated into the different departments and for each provider.  QI is a huge component considered in bonus compensation as well. 

Is this selected approach used apart from or in conjunction with the other approaches?

 Quality improvement (QI) is used in conjunction with research and evidence-based practice (EBP).  Meetings also consist of providing feedback relating to research and EBP.

Can one approach be effectively applied without the others? Why or why not?

 Although each inquiry is aimed to promoting optimal outcomes in healthcare, one approach can effectively be applied without the use of another in some instances.  They can be applied separately because there are differences in their aims, methods, and outcomes.  Each inquiry has a unique process yet complement one another for best practice (Mick, 2015). QI identifies the problem using an active approach for ideal results.  Research uses a scientific approach and in turn produces new education.  EBP tests the research to create new practice.  On other occasions, one approach may not be as effective without the other because each has an added value in some form.   

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