Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is essentially the continual seeking and improvement of healthcare processes. CQI looks to define and solve problems. A segment of the CQI process is the iterative process, which is the segment where improvements are made, the effects are measured, and the entire cycle repeated until the desired outcome is reached (O’Donnell, et.al., 2022). “CQI is a quality initiative that repeatedly asks members of the healthcare team to determine, “How are we doing?” and “Can we do it better?” (O’Donnel, et.al., 2022). In my current setting, an acute care cardiovascular unit, CQI initiatives are frequently brought up in shared leadership council, though there is one I would love to propose. In the cardiac patient population, many patients have fluid restrictions which limit the number of fluids they are allotted per 24 hours. Currently, we have Styrofoam cups that hold 240 milliliters (about 8.12 oz) and are constantly replaced, making it difficult to track accurate intake. I would like to propose using graduated cups that are reusable. Following the CQI model, I’d apply the DMAIC roadmap (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) (McKay, 2017). First I’d focus on defining the issue of concern (need for greater accuracy when documenting patient intake), next measure and determine the data (address areas where this initiative is not going well, i.e., unable to accurately document patient intake), thirdly analyze the data (why is this not working, because there is no standardized guideline for documenting intake), next improve the process (introduce graduated cups and a new guideline for measuring patient intake), and lastly control (keep momentum of improvement by providing continued education and positive reinforcement).
McKay, S. (2017) Quality improvement approaches: six sigma. Carnegie Foundation. Quality Improvement Approaches: Six Sigma | Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
O’Donnell, B., et.al. (2022) Continuous quality improvement. National Library of Medicine. Continuous Quality Improvement – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov) \