Managing Quality in Practice Settings

Quality management is essential while practicing nursing; it is crucial to ensure that the services provided to patients are of high quality, which can be relied upon. In my organization, the measurement of quality takes place through evaluating the services provided to consumers and how effectively these services meet the needs of those who consume them. The persons mandated to evaluating the adherence to standards include the supervisors and senior nurses who evaluate the activities of subordinate staff in the organization. Quality can also be evaluated by the American Nursing Association that works towards ensuring that all standards put in place are followed. Managing quality entails ensuring that patients receive excellent care from nurses, as well as other healthcare professionals working within a healthcare institution (Marquis & Huston, 2012).

Several standards in place serve to ensure quality management within the organization. One of the most notable standards includes taking care of patients, as well as ensuring that patients access the services within the hospital setting. Performance and outcomes have to be measured and evaluated based on the set standards. The measurement of performance and outcomes takes place through evaluating the conformity to the set standards. In addition, performance can be measured through evaluating how the set standards meet the needs of the patients and consumers of health services. Performance is also measured by assessing the ability of the set standards to improve processes within the organization (Gowen et. al., 2008).

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is responsible for measuring whether the standards have been met. The other agency mandated to measure adherence to standards includes the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JACHO). Nurses should be empowered to ensure they follow the standards and improve the quality of services, which they provide to patients. A method that can be used to empower nurses includes providing them with further training; this will ensure that they become updated with the current standards. Another way in which nurses can be empowered is through holding seminars, workshops, and conferences that will give them insights on issues that relate to nursing standards. Availing recent nursing journals can also play a crucial role in ensuring that nurses learn about the most current standards and ways of improving quality (Sherwood & Barnsteiner, 2012).