Published Sep 15, 2018
Tletcher
3 Posts
Hello. I'm currently back in school for my BSN. I'm having to do a QI research paper and I'm having trouble deciding on a topic. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
meanmaryjean, DNP, RN
7,899 Posts
What needs improving in your workplace? That's a good starting place.
Nurse to pt ratios for sure. But that would be considered a nursing indicator I think.... I'm just lost!
Common QI projects include development of 'bundles' to address VAP, CAUTI and the like. In the ED door-to-cath times for STEMIs. For our peds leukemia kids- door-to-antibiotic times for fever presenting to the ED. Maybe improving med scanning rates, witnessed narcotic waste, med delivery to unit from pharmacy.
What else makes you nuts that you want to fix?
adventure_rn, MSN, NP
1,593 Posts
To clarify, is this a paper about QI, or is to goal to actually do a QI project?
If the goal is to write about other people's QI findings, it would be easiest to look at the most well-known examples, like the ones MaryJean recommended (bundles, etc.)
If the goal is to come up with a QI project, implement it on your unit, and then write about it, I'd ask your manager for ideas. In my experience, managers usually have a ton of QI projects in mind (since all of the complains/issues are directed at them), and they're always looking for people to implement them because they're too busy to do it themselves. The most valuable QI projects specific to the needs of the unit. For instance, I worked in a NICU where we were having breastmilk errors, and did a QI project with scanning technology, as well as individual freezers/refrigerators to address the issue. On another unit, we had issues with wasting large quanitities of blood products, and so one of the nurses worked on a QI project to put a timer on the blood coolers so we know when products are either expired or need to be returned to the blood bank.
This is a paper, but I'm sure I will have a project soon and this just gave me tons of ideas. So thank you!