Objectives: After reading the poster, the participant will be able to:

1. Discuss the impact of three nursing indicators on patient outcomes.
2. Discuss the role of the Quality Council on patient outcomes.

The purpose of the poster will be twofold. First, the poster will demonstrate how a council of dedicated nursing personnel was formed to utilize NDNQI reports to promote improved patient outcomes. Second, the poster will demonstrate the effectiveness of individual unit representatives to improve patient outcomes on nursing units.

Relevant information will be shared in the form of graphs and charts outlining steady improvement in specific nursing sensitive performance improvement initiatives such as inpatient falls. Other performance improvement initiatives will be included in the poster.

The poster will focus on the formation of the Quality Council as one of five Councils formed during the hospital’s quest for Magnet designation. The council has evolved into an active decision-making body responsible for the steady improvement of identified nursing sensitive indicators. The three year process has resulted in improved patient outcomes and increased nursing satisfaction. Quality Council members volunteer to represent individual nursing units for a period of two years. Council members are directly involved in the identification of areas that need improvement and are responsible to implement change on the nursing units. Council members are given paid time each month to attend the Council meeting and to complete monitoring activities. Automated reports of nursing sensitive indicator results are generated every month for review by Council members. Trends and potential areas for improvement are identified. Six nursing sensitive indicators will be highlighted using graphs and charts. Indicators will include: Inpatient falls; Nursing sensitive causes for medication errors; Use of physical restraints; Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers; Blood glucose monitoring repeated for critical values; Correct labeling of lab specimens.

Implications for practice include the benefits of forming a dedicated Quality Council to address hospital performance improvement initiatives. RN satisfaction will increase as staff nurses assume ownership of an area that directly impacts patient outcomes. The Quality Council has had a definite positive impact on the quality improvement process.