What it means
A way for a hospital or unit to find problems in care and fix them step by step. A team picks something to measure, such as falls, pressure injuries or catheter infections, tries a change, checks the data again and keeps what works. A common model is Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA). It looks at systems and processes rather than blaming one person.
For the nurse
Nurses take part by reporting incidents and near misses, following new protocols and joining unit projects. An incident report is a quality improvement tool, not a punishment, and it is not mentioned in the client's chart.
In a chart
"Unit QI project: hourly rounding started after three falls in one month; falls dropped to zero the next quarter."
At a glance
| Abbreviations | QI; CQI (continuous quality improvement); PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) |
|---|---|
| Also written | QI, quality-improvement |
Related terms
evaluate
To judge whether care worked by comparing the client's results with the goals that were set.
evidence-based practice
Care that combines the best research findings with clinical experience and the client's own wishes.
plan of care
A written plan that lists a client's problems, goals and the nursing actions to reach them.