TY - JOUR
T1 - The Evaluation of an Interprofessional QI Program: A Qualitative Study
AU - Brugman, Ilja M.
AU - Visser, Annelies
AU - Maaskant, Jolanda M.
AU - Geerlings, Suzanne E.
AU - Eskes, Anne M.
N1 - Vol. 19, Iss. 16 (August-2 2022).
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Culture of Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Nursing).
Supplementary File 1: ZIP-Document (not added here, you can open it online).
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - Background: Quality Improvement (QI) is the key for every healthcare organization. QI programs may help healthcare professionals to develop the needed skills for interprofessional collaboration through interprofessional education. Furthermore, the role of diversity in QI teams is not yet fully understood. This evaluation study aimed to obtain in-depth insights into the expectations and experiences of different stakeholders of a hospital-wide interprofessional QI program. Methods: This qualitative study builds upon 20 semi-structured interviews with participants and two focus groups with the coaches and program advisory board members of this QI program. Data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: “interprofessional education”, “networking” and “motivation: presence with pitfalls”. Working within interprofessional project groups was valuable, because participants with different experiences and skills helped to move the QI project forward. It was simultaneously challenging because IPE was new and revealed problems with hierarchy, communication and planning. Networking was also deemed valuable, but a shared space to keep in contact after finalizing the program was missing. The participants were highly motivated to finish their QI project, but they underestimated the challenges. Conclusions: A hospital-wide QI program must explicitly pay attention to interprofessional collaboration and networking. Leaders of the QI program must cherish the motivation of the participants and make sure that the QI projects are realistic.
AB - Background: Quality Improvement (QI) is the key for every healthcare organization. QI programs may help healthcare professionals to develop the needed skills for interprofessional collaboration through interprofessional education. Furthermore, the role of diversity in QI teams is not yet fully understood. This evaluation study aimed to obtain in-depth insights into the expectations and experiences of different stakeholders of a hospital-wide interprofessional QI program. Methods: This qualitative study builds upon 20 semi-structured interviews with participants and two focus groups with the coaches and program advisory board members of this QI program. Data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: “interprofessional education”, “networking” and “motivation: presence with pitfalls”. Working within interprofessional project groups was valuable, because participants with different experiences and skills helped to move the QI project forward. It was simultaneously challenging because IPE was new and revealed problems with hierarchy, communication and planning. Networking was also deemed valuable, but a shared space to keep in contact after finalizing the program was missing. The participants were highly motivated to finish their QI project, but they underestimated the challenges. Conclusions: A hospital-wide QI program must explicitly pay attention to interprofessional collaboration and networking. Leaders of the QI program must cherish the motivation of the participants and make sure that the QI projects are realistic.
KW - quality improvement
KW - EBQI
KW - interprofessional education
KW - evaluation
KW - qualitative research
KW - leadership
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137126589&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph191610087
DO - 10.3390/ijerph191610087
M3 - Article
C2 - 36011718
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 19
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 16
M1 - 10087
ER -