![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Learning Objective 1: Describe how quality improvements were supported by curriculum developed through academic and practice partnership
Learning Objective 2: Identify how organizational learning was achieved by academic and organizational support of CNL students
Demands to demonstrate evidence-based improvements are growing yet sustaining practice change is elusive. Trinity Health (TH) partnered with University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) to implement a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program with a shared goal to co-create curriculum to support organizational learning. Students were expected to address existing practice concerns using system tools, resources, and practice experts in their organization. CNL work was made visible through expectation of full participation of interdisciplinary staff in the projects.
Methods
Trinity Health embraced Process Excellence, a quality improvement philosophy that expands single process improvements to develop an appreciation for systems. An opportunity for collaboration in the development of Quality and Leadership courses was identified. Each course required 100 clinical hours in support of CNL led process improvements. TH provided a 2 day in-service on Process Excellence/Lean to supplement course content. Nursing leaders identified 19 organizational concerns that might benefit from CNL led quality improvement projects. Twelve projects were developed with quality improvement staff serving as project coaches mentoring students in the DMAIC process.
Results
Each semester students presented to classmates, nursing leaders, and project participants. Feedback was positive and many commented on the progress made in a short time given the long standing issues that were addressed. Unintended benefits of these projects were informal mentoring relationships developed with quality improvement and finance staff as CNLs defined metrics and cost benefits. Of the 12 projects initiated, 8 have been sustained for 18 months. Half have been revised for ongoing improvement.
Conclusion
This pilot offered a re-shaping of the organizations approach to quality improvement and the norms of team members engaged in process improvement activities. CNL led teams addressed ‘real problems’ using a systematic approach to quality improvement. Organizational learning has occurred and staff members are identifying issues that would benefit from CNL involvement.