A nurse on a quality control committee is evaluating the effectiveness of recently implemented measures aimed at reducing medication errors.

Which methods should the nurse use to evaluate the success of the changes?

Choice A rationale
Reports routinely listing the identification number of any equipment involved is not a problem. This is a standard practice in incident reporting as it helps in identifying and tracking the equipment involved in the incident.
Choice B rationale
Reports routinely omitting the names of witnesses to the occurrence is a problem that should be reported to the risk manager. Witnesses can provide crucial information about the incident, and their statements can help in understanding the sequence of events and identifying the root cause of the incident.
Choice C rationale
Reports being completed within 24 hours after the incident is not a problem. Timely reporting of incidents is crucial for accurate recall of events and immediate initiation of corrective actions.
Choice D rationale
Reports routinely including the client’s hospital number is not a problem. This is a standard practice in incident reporting as it helps in identifying and tracking the patient involved in the incident.

Choice A rationale
The nurse’s actions are an example of Quality Improvement. Quality Improvement involves systematic actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the health status of targeted patient groups. In this case, the nurse identified a problem (increase in pressure injuries), collected data (documented findings), and implemented a change (new policy for consistent use of a pressure injury risk assessment scale) to improve patient outcomes.
Choice B rationale
While collaboration was part of the process (the nurse collaborated with the manager), the overall actions taken represent a Quality Improvement process.
Choice C rationale
Case Management typically involves coordinating the care and services of select patient populations, such as those with chronic illnesses or complex health needs. It does not directly apply to this scenario.
Choice D rationale
Advocacy involves supporting or promoting the interests of others, such as patients or colleagues. Although the nurse’s actions could be seen as advocating for the patients’ well- being, the term that best characterizes these actions is Quality Improvement.