Objectives:

1. Identify the problem solving framework and its role in quality improvement
2. Discuss why writing a clear problem statement is the first step in starting a quality improvement project

Read:

• Accelerate Article - Quality Improvement (5 min.)
• Handout - Problem Solving (2 min.)
• Accelerate Article - What Goldilocks Can Teach You About Problem Statements (3 min.)
• Handout - Problem Statement (2 min.)

Watch:

• Problem Solving Framework (6 min.)
• Writing a Problem Statement (4 min.)

Practice: Write a problem statement for a problem you would like to solve

Objectives:

1. Summarize why and how the baseline analysis step reinforces your problem statement and provides clarity and direction for your quality improvement project
2. Describe 3 simple and easy methods for collecting baseline data, and how sterile processing and nutrition care use data to provide high quality service

Read:

• Accelerate article - Lean Behind the Scenes: Sterile Processing (2 min.) and watch the embedded video (7 min.)
• Accelerate article - Lean Behind the Scenes: Nutrition Care Services (7 min.)
• Accelerate article - Let the Process Map be Your Guide (3 min.)
• Handout - Baseline Analysis 
• Handout - Fishbone Diagram 
• Handout - Histograms and Run Charts

Watch: Conducting a Baseline Analysis (6 min.)

Practice: create a process map, a fishbone diagram, or plot a run chart/histogram for the problem you would like to solve

Objectives:

1. Demonstrate how identifying and prioritizing the most likely causes of the problem will help support how to address the problem
2. Illustrate how to create a simple fishbone diagram, and how asking why 5 times can be used to discover causes of a problem
3. Discover how root cause analysis is used in reducing patient harm and promoting a culture of safety

Read: Accelerate Article - Fishbone Diagram: A Tool to Organize a Problem's Cause and Effect (2 min.)

Watch: Investigation and Root Cause Analysis (8 min.) 

Read:

• Accelerate Article - Culture of Safety (4 min.) - in development
• Accelerate Article - Diagnostic Error (4 min.) - in development 
• Accelerate Article - Systems Approach to Error (4 min.) 

Practice: Develop  a fishbone diagram for the problem you would like to solve

Objectives:

1. Define how to develop a strong intervention (the change you will make that aims at solving the problem) by addressing the causes you identified in the previous step
2. Compare commonly used practices and tools used to reduce variation and process improvement

Read:

• Accelerate Article - Draw On a Wide Range of Evidence to Jump Start Your Improvement Project (2 min.)
• Accelerate Article - Standard Work (3 min) 
• Accelerate Article - The Seven Wastes in Health Care (5 min.)
• Handout - Value Added vs NVA
• Handout - Standard Work 
• Handout - Forcing Functions

Watch:

• Intervention Design and Implementation (8 min.)
• Standard Work and Forcing Functions (6 min.)

Practice: Illustrate how you will address the problem you would like to solve, what change you will make and how you will implement it

Objectives:

1. Interpert how data is used to determine if the change you made was successful in solving the problem
2. Describe how to set goals for your project by using the SMART acronym
3. Discuss how organizations use a simple, one page document to help track a quality improvement project progress and report out

Read:

• Handout - Process Outcome Goals (1 min.)
• Handout - Histograms and Run Charts  (1 min.)
• Accelerate Article - The Smart Way to Set Your New Year's Resolutions (2 min.)
• Accelerate Article - Small Goals Can Help You Get to Great Heights (3 min.)
• Handout - Project Summary A3 Document - PDF, PPTX

Watch:

• Summary A3 Instructions (6 min.)
• Monitoring and Closing a Project (10 min.)

Practice:

• Formulate a SMART goal to help you assess the success of your intervention
• Compile a Project Summary A3 for your project (use included template, or one of your choosing)