Nursing 616

I. Course Title: Quality and Safety in Healthcare

II. Course Number: NURS 616

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Nursing or permission of the faculty.

V. Course Description: Concepts of healthcare quality and safety are analyzed with a focus on patient and population health outcomes.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

Quality and safety strategies, theories, and methods to improve health outcomes are explored. Concepts of healthcare quality and safety are analyzed with a focus on patient and population health outcomes. The role of advanced nursing practice in leading quality and safety initiatives within organizations is examined. 

Topical Outline:

1. Economic, political, and organizational developments of quality and safety including interprofessional collaboration.
2. Foundational concepts of quality improvement- measurement and assessment. 
3. Quality problems in practice.
4. Quality improvement processes, tools, interprofessional performance teams, and safety analysis.
5. Strategies for health care leaders to ensure accountability for quality and safety. 
6. Management for resources for quality in population health and organizational quality systems.
7. Culture of quality, utilization management, and performance reliability. 
8. Population health care initiatives that could improve health outcomes or reduce factors that affect health outcomes. 
9. Role impact of the nurse practitioner and/or nurse administrator on quality issues.      

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

This online course may include but is not limited to seminar discussions (faculty and student led), lectures, guest speakers, case studies, written assignments, projects, and other teaching-learning strategies as appropriate. Because the course is online, audio or video presentations/lectures, discussion boards, chat rooms, and other instructional technology strategies may be used. 

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Explore recent economic, political, and organizational developments in healthcare quality and safety. MSN Essentials 2, 3, 6; PO 2, 3, 6
2. Evaluate the role of inter professional collaboration on quality and safety. MSN Essentials 3, 7; PO 3, 7
3. Examine quality improvement models, tools, performance measures, and resources. MSN Essentials 1, 3; PO 1, 3
4. Analyze strategies for healthcare leaders to ensure accountability for quality and safety. MSN Essentials 2, 3, 9; PO 2, 3, 9
5. Examine the role of advanced nursing practice in leading quality improvement and patient safety initiatives. MSN Essentials 2, 3, 9; PO 2, 3, 9

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Quality of written assignments including papers and discussion board posts, group projects, presentations, IHI modules completion, and other discretionary methods of evaluation

Other Course Information: None

Review and Approval

March 01, 2021