NURS 8302 Week 3 Assignment: Tools for Measuring Quality

NURS 8302 Week 3 Assignment: Tools for Measuring Quality
Assignment: Tools for Measuring Quality
How do we determine quality? Quality in other areas of our lives can be subjective, so as it relates to our nursing practice, how do we specifically ensure that quality is clearly defined and measurable?
Tools for measuring quality are used to assess the value measured, collected, or compared. These tools allow for subjectivity to be replaced with objectivity through data, formula, ranking, and analysis.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
For this Assignment, you will explore at least three rate-based measures of quality. You will deconstruct each measure to explore your understanding of the it, including its importance and its impact on patient safety, the cost of healthcare, and the overall quality of healthcare.
To Prepare:
Review the Learning Resources for this week, and reflect on tools for measuring quality in nursing practice.
Select three rate-based measurements of quality that you would like to focus on for this Assignment.
Note: These measurements must relate to some aspect of clinical or service quality that directly relates to patient care or the patient’s experience of care, and for the purposes of this Assignment, an analysis of staffing levels is not permitted.
You can find useful information on quality indicators that are of interest to you on these websites and resources. You may choose only one of the three measures to be some form of patient satisfaction measure.
Consider how the three rate-based measures (you will select) are defined, how the rates were determined or calculated, how the measures were collected, and how these measures are communicated to both internal and external stakeholders.
Reflect on how the three rate-based measures (you will select) may relate to organizational goals for improved performance.
Reflect on the three rate-based measures (you will select), and consider the importance of these measures on patient safety, cost of healthcare, and overall quality of healthcare.
The Assignment: (8–10 pages)
Describe the three rate-based measures of quality you selected, and explain why.
Deconstruct each measure to include the following:
Describe the definition of the measure.
Explain the numerical description of how the measure is constructed (the numerator/denominator measure counts, the formula used to construct the rate, etc.).
Explain how the data for this measure are collected.
Describe how the measurement is compared externally to other like settings, and differentiate between the actual rate and a percentile ranking. Be specific.
Explain whether the measure is risk adjusted or not. If so, explain briefly how this is accomplished.
Describe how goals might be set for each measure in an aggressive organization, which is seeking to excel in the marketplace. Be specific and provide examples.
Describe the importance of each measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting.
Using the websites and resources you can choose a hospital, a nursing home, a home health agency, a dialysis center, a health plan, an outpatient clinic, or private office. A total population of patient types is also acceptable, but please be specific as to the setting. That is, if you are interested in patients with chronic illness across the continuum of care, you might home in a particular health plan, a multispecialty practice setting or a healthcare organization with both inpatient and outpatient/clinic settings.
Note: Faculty appointments and academic settings are not permitted for this exercise. For all other settings, consult the Instructor for guidance. You do not need actual data from a given organization to complete this Assignment.
Explain how each measure you selected relates to patient safety, to the cost of poor quality, and to the overall cost of healthcare delivery. Be specific and provide examples.
By Day 7
There is nothing to submit this week. This Assignment is due by Day 7 of Week 4.
What’s Coming Up in Week 4?
Photo Credit: [BrianAJackson]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images
Next week, you will continue to analyze tools used for quality improvement and will explore the application of project management for a quality improvement practice gap.
Next Week
To go to the next week:
Week 4
Assignment 2: Tools for Measuring Quality
How do we determine quality? Quality in other areas of our lives can be subjective, so how do we ensure—specifically as it relates to our nursing practice—that quality is clearly defined and measurable?
Tools for measuring quality are used to assess the value measured, collected, or compared. These tools allow for subjectivity to be replaced with objectivity through data, formula, ranking, and analysis.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
For this Assignment, you will explore at least three rate-based measures of quality. You will deconstruct each measure to explore your understanding of the measure, its importance, and its impact on patient safety, cost of healthcare, and overall quality of healthcare.
To Prepare:
Review the Learning Resources, for this week, and reflect on tools for measuring quality in nursing practice.
Select three rate-based measurements of quality that you would like to focus on for this Assignment.
Note: These measurements must relate to some aspect of clinical or service quality that directly relates to patient care or the patient’s experience of care. For the purposes of this Assignment, an analysis of staffing levels is not permitted.
You can find useful information on quality indicators that are of interest to you on these websites and resources. You may choose only one of the three measures to be some form of patient satisfaction measure.
Consider how the three rate-based measures (you will select) are defined, how the rates were determined or calculated, how the measures were collected, and how these measures are communicated to both internal and external stakeholders.
Reflect on how the three rate-based measures (you will select) may relate to organizational goals for improved performance.
Reflect on the three rate-based measures (you will select), and consider the importance of these measures on patient safety, cost of healthcare, and overall quality of healthcare.
The Assignment: (8–10 pages)
Describe the three rate-based measures of quality you selected, and explain why.
Deconstruct each rate-based measure to include the following:
Describe the definition of the measure.
Explain the numerical description of how the measure is constructed (the numerator/denominator measure counts, the formula used to construct the rate, etc.).
Explain how the data for this measure are collected.
Describe how the measurement is compared externally to other like settings, and differentiate between the actual rate and a percentile ranking. Be specific.
Explain whether the measure is risk adjusted or not. If so, explain briefly how this is accomplished.
Describe how goals might be set for each measure in an aggressive organization, which is seeking to excel in the marketplace. Be specific and provide examples.
Describe the importance of each rate-based measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting.
Using the websites and resources, you can choose a hospital, a nursing home, a home health agency, a dialysis center, a health plan, an outpatient clinic, or private office; a total population of patient types is also acceptable, but please be specific as to the setting. That is, if you are interested in patients with chronic illness across the continuum of care, you might home in a particular health plan, a multispecialty practice setting or a healthcare organization with both inpatient and outpatient/clinic settings.
Note: Faculty appointments and academic settings are not permitted for this exercise. For all other settings, consult the Instructor for guidance. You do not need actual data from a given organization to complete this Assignment.
Explain how each rate-based measure (you selected) relates to patient safety, to the cost of poor quality, and to the overall cost of healthcare delivery. Be specific and provide examples.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at ). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 4.
Submission and Grading Information
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Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
NURS 8302 Week 3 Assignment Tools for Measuring Quality
Click the Week 4 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
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Grading Criteria
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Week 4 Assignment 2 Rubric
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Week 4 Assignment 2
Rubric Detail
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Content
Name: NURS_8302_Week4_Assignment2_Rubric
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Describe the three rate-based measures of quality you selected, and explain why. Points Range: 18 (18%) – 20 (20%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail three rate-based measures of quality.
The response provides accurate and specific details that fully support the selection of the three rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
The response accurately describes three rate-based measures of quality.
The response provides accurate details that support the selection of the three rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes three rate-based measures of quality.
OR
The response describes less than three rate-based measures of quality.
The response provides inaccurate or vague details that may support the selection of the rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 13 (13%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes three rate-based measures of quality, or it is missing.
The response provides inaccurate and vague details that do not support the selection of the rate-based measures described, or it is missing.
Deconstruct each rate-based measure to include the definition of each measure, explanation of the numerical description of how the measure is constructed, explanation of how the data is collected, description of how the measure is compared externally, explanation of whether or not the measure is risk adjusted, and a description of the how goals might be set for each measure. Be specific, and provide examples. Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and clearly explains in detail each of the three rate-based measures.
The response accurately and clearly explains all elements of each measure, including: the definition of the measure, explanation of the numerical description, explanation of how the data is collected, description of how the measure is compared, explanation of risk, and description of goals.
The response includes relevant, specific, and appropriate examples that fully support the explanations provided for each of the three rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response accurately explains each of the three rate-based measures.
The response accurately explains the elements of each measure, including: the definition of the measure, explanation of the numerical description, explanation of how the data is collected, description of how the measure is compared, explanation of risk, and description of goals.
The response includes relevant, specific, and accurate examples that support the explanations provided for each of the three rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains each of the three rate-based measures.
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the elements of each measure.
The response includes inaccurate and irrelevant examples that may support the explanations provided for each of the three rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains each of the three rate-based measures, or it is missing.
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the elements of each measure, or it is missing.
The response includes inaccurate and vague examples that do not support the explanations provided for each of the three rate-based measures described, or it is missing.
Describe the importance of each measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting. Be specific as to the setting. Points Range: 18 (18%) – 20 (20%)
The response accurately and clearly explains in detail the importance of each measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting.
The response provides accurate and specific details that fully support the selection of the three rate-based measures and the clinical organization or setting described.
Points Range: 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
The response accurately explains the importance of each measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting.
The response provides accurate details that support the selection of the three rate-based measures and the clinical organization or setting described.
Points Range: 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the importance of each measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting.
The response inaccurately or vaguely provides details that may support the selection of the three rate-based measures and the clinical organization or setting described.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 13 (13%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely explains the importance of each measure to a chosen clinical organization and setting, or it is missing.
The response inaccurately and vaguely provides details that do not support the selection of the three rate-based measures and the clinical organization or setting described, or it is missing.
Explain how each rate-based measure you selected relates to patient safety, to the cost of poor quality, and to the overall cost of healthcare delivery. Be specific, and provide examples. Points Range: 18 (18%) – 20 (20%)
The response accurately and clearly explains in detail how each rate-based measure relates to patient safety, cost of poor quality, and overall cost of healthcare delivery.
The response includes relevant, specific, and appropriate examples that fully support the explanations provided for each of the rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
The response accurately explains how each measure relates to patient safety, cost of poor quality, and overall cost of healthcare delivery.
The response includes relevant, specific, and accurate examples that support the explanations provided for each of the rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how each measure relates to patient safety, cost of poor quality, and overall cost of healthcare delivery.
The response includes inaccurate and irrelevant examples that may support the explanations provided for each of the rate-based measures described.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 13 (13%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how each measure relates to patient safety, cost of poor quality, and overall cost of healthcare delivery, or it is missing.
The response includes inaccurate and vague examples that do not support the explanations provided for each of the rate-based measures described, or it is missing.
Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.
A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria.
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive.
Points Range: 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time.
Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Points Range: 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Contains many (? 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Uses correct APA format with no errors. Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. Points Range: 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Contains many (? 5) APA format errors. Total Points: 100 Name: NURS_8302_Week4_Assignment2_Rubric