Improving Time Management Skills

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Improving Time Management Skills

NURS 421 Course Project

IMPORTANT: THIS PROJECT MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA MOODLE 

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this assignment include to:

  • Understand the PDCA cycle.
  • Implement a quality improvement (QI) project focused on improving a specific nursing leadership or management skill using the PDCA cycle and QI tools.

OVERVIEW

According to Grohar-Murray and Langan (2011), leadership “includes intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and situational variables” (p. 24) while management is defined as “a process with both interpersonal and technical aspects through which the objectives of an organization are accomplished” (p. 147). Grohar-Murray and Langan describe QI as occurring in three discrete stages: (1) setting a standard of quality, (2) measuring what is actually occurring and comparing it to the standard of quality desired, and (3) planning and implementing action when needed to improve the standard of quality (p. 191).

DIRECTIONS:
Your course project in this course is to design and implement a personal improvement goal for the next five weeks that focuses on a specific nursing leadership or management skill that you would like to improve upon. You will use the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) process to help you achieve your goal. See pp. 5-7 of the “Personal Quality Improvement Work Book” (2004) by Neuhauser, Myhre, and Alemi (http://www.a4hi.org/docs/Neuhauser_personal_improvement_project_workbook.pdf) for information on the PDCA cycle.

 Plan (P)

Identify an area upon which you would like to improve—a goal for professional development. For example, say you would like to improve upon your communication skills and the specific outcome you are trying to achieve is to become more assertive in your interaction with other health care professionals. Establish and document a clear plan on how you will achieve your goal. Define measurable criteria that will help you determine if improvement has occurred.

  1. Do (D)

Implement the plan and begin collecting and documenting data immediately at the beginning of the session. Continue collecting and documenting data at least several times a week through the first five weeks of the session in order to help you measure whether or not your plan has been successful. The more information you have, the better and stronger your analysis will be.

  1. Check (C)

After you have collected data, begin to analyze the information. Based on the data you collected, choose an appropriate “tool” on pp. 8-24 of the “Personal Quality Improvement Work Book” and use this tool to assist you in analyzing your data. After you have analyzed the data, begin to identify and document conclusions based on your analysis.

  1. Act (A)

After you have studied and analyzed the data, does the information that you gathered support that you have achieved your goal or does it suggest modification in your plan is needed in order to achieve your goal? If you achieved your goal respond to item (a) below. If you need to modify your plan, address item (b) below.

  1. If your goal was achieved, specifically indicate how you can “consolidate, strengthen, and support the change achieved” so things do not “slide back into the status quo” (Neuhauser, Myhre, & Alemi, 2004, p. 7).
  2. If modification is needed, what changes do you think are required to achieve your goal? Be specific. Include information how you would act upon the modified plan reusing the PDCA cycle if you had additional time to do so.

Additional Files:

Leadership-Final-Project-Instructions.doc