Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: Developing a Systems View (Patient Safety I) from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

The History of Patient Safety and Quality Improvement

In this module, you will review the history of patient safety and quality improvement in healthcare. You will start with defining the scope of the problem of preventable harm in healthcare which leads into the history of the work that has been done to date that has helped to define, measure and improve preventable harm. You review three landmark reports to ensure you have a deep understanding of this work. At the end of this module, you will be able to: 1) identify a minimum of four key events in the history of patient safety an quality improvement, 2) describe the key characteristics of each of the three landmark patient safety publications and 3) summarize the impact of preventable harm on patients, communities and society.

Definitions in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: An Overview

In this module, you will be reviewing several key terms and tools that are used in patient safety and quality improvement. This will allow you to begin to develop the common language used among patient safety and quality improvement experts and practitioners. By the end of this module you will be able to: 1) differentiate between the terms harm, hazard, error and risk within a patient safety and quality improvement framework, 2) describe how quality and safety overlap and how they are different and 3) differentiate between root cause analysis and a failure mode and effects analysis.

High Reliability Organizing and Why it Matters

In this module, you will learn the fundamental principles of high reliability organizing. At the end of this lesson, you will also be able to: 1) describe the socio-cultural characteristics of high reliability organizations (HROs), 2) compare and contrast healthcare with high reliability organizations and 3) identify three improvement tools for high reliability organizing.

Applying a Systems Lens to Healthcare

In this module, you will learn the basics of systems thinking and then apply these to a healthcare setting. At the end of this module, you will be able to 1) explain the basic components of a system, 2) differentiate first order problem solving and second order problem solving, 3) explain the benefits of having strategies for both proactive and reactive systems thinking.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Focuses on patient safety and quality improvement in the healthcare sector

Emphasizes tools for proactive and reactive systems thinking

Introduces the fundamental principles of high reliability organizing in healthcare settings

Incorporates discussions on patient safety and quality improvement across various eras

Ideal for individuals looking to enhance their knowledge and skills in patient safety and quality improvement within healthcare systems

Utilizes a systems thinking approach to examine patient safety and quality improvement

Reviews summary

Patient safety improvement: a systemic view

Learners say that the "Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: Developing a Systems View (Patient Safety I)" course is well-received. It provides a comprehensive overview of patient safety principles and their importance in improving healthcare delivery. The course is structured into four modules that cover various aspects of patient safety, including the history, systems thinking, and quality improvement tools. The course content is rich in practical examples, case studies, and interactive quizzes that help learners understand the concepts and apply them to real-world scenarios.

The engaging lectures, delivered by experts in the field, are praised for their clear explanations and accessible language. Learners also appreciate the thorough course materials, which include readings, slides, and other resources that provide additional context and insights.

Overall, learners recommend this course to healthcare professionals of all levels, particularly those seeking to improve their knowledge and skills in patient safety and quality improvement.

The lectures are delivered by experts in the field.

"The engaging lectures, delivered by experts in the field, are praised for their clear explanations and accessible language."

The course is well-structured and organized into logical modules.

"The course is structured into four modules that cover various aspects of patient safety, including the history, systems thinking, and quality improvement tools."

The course materials are thorough and provided in an accessible format.

"Learners also appreciate the thorough course materials, which include readings, slides, and other resources that provide additional context and insights."

The course content is rich in practical examples and case studies.

"The course content is rich in practical examples, case studies, and interactive quizzes that help learners understand the concepts and apply them to real-world scenarios."

Some learners found the quizzes to be challenging.

"Quiz was very tough"

The course is a bit lengthy.

"I felt that the content was overall very good. It felt a little long and dry, but the examples really help to solidify the information."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: Developing a Systems View (Patient Safety I) with these activities:

Volunteer at a Patient Safety Organization

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Gain practical experience in patient safety by volunteering at a relevant organization.

Browse courses on Patient Safety

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Find a patient safety organization to volunteer with
Attend a volunteer orientation
Complete volunteer training
Participate in volunteer activities

Discuss Case Studies of Patient Safety Incidents

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Analyzing real-world case studies will provide you with valuable insights into patient safety risks and how they can be mitigated

Browse courses on Case Studies

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Attend a peer study session
Review a case study of a patient safety incident
Discuss the case study with your peers
Identify the root causes of the incident
Develop recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future

Read 'High Reliability Organizing' by Karl Weick

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Gain a deeper understanding of the principles of high reliability organizations, which can be applied to healthcare settings to improve safety and quality

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Read Chapter 1 of 'High Reliability Organizing'
Identify the key characteristics of high reliability organizations
Consider how these characteristics can be applied to healthcare

Three other activities

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Show all six activities

Learn About Human Factors Engineering

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Human factors engineering principles can help improve the design of healthcare systems and reduce the risk of errors.

Browse courses on Human Factors Engineering

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Complete a tutorial on human factors engineering
Identify examples of human factors engineering in healthcare
Consider how human factors engineering can be applied to your own work

Create a System Map of a Healthcare Process

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Creating a system map of a healthcare process will provide you with an opportunity to apply core concepts of systems thinking to a real-world context

Browse courses on Systems Thinking

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Identify a healthcare process to map
Gather data on the process, including inputs, outputs, and key stakeholders
Create a visual representation of the process, using symbols to represent different elements
Analyze the map to identify opportunities for improvement

Design a Patient Safety Improvement Plan

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Developing a patient safety improvement plan will challenge you to synthesize your knowledge of safety principles and develop actionable strategies

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Identify a patient safety issue to address
Conduct a needs assessment to gather data on the issue
Develop a plan to address the issue, including specific goals, objectives, and interventions
Implement the plan and monitor its progress
Evaluate the plan's effectiveness and make adjustments as needed

Career center

Learners who complete Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: Developing a Systems View (Patient Safety I) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Patient Safety Analyst

Patient Safety Analysts collect and analyze data to identify patient safety risks and develop strategies to improve patient safety. This course would be useful in developing the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this role, as it covers the fundamentals of patient safety and quality improvement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Patient Safety Analyst

Clinical Quality Assurance Coordinator

Clinical Quality Assurance Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that the quality of patient care meets expected standards. This course may be useful in developing the knowledge and skills needed to understand patient safety and quality improvement principles, which can be applied to clinical quality assurance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Clinical Quality Assurance Coordinator

Quality Improvement Specialist

Quality Improvement Specialists identify and analyze opportunities for improving the quality of healthcare services. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and quality improvement principles, which can be applied to improving healthcare quality.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Improvement Specialist

Human Factors Engineer

Human Factors Engineers design and evaluate systems to improve human performance and safety. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to designing and evaluating healthcare systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Factors Engineer

Healthcare Policy Analyst

Healthcare Policy Analysts conduct research and analyze data to inform healthcare policy decisions. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to analyzing and developing healthcare policy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Policy Analyst

Patient Advocate

Patient Advocates represent and support patients in healthcare settings. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to advocating for patients and improving patient care.

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Ergonomist

Ergonomists design and evaluate workplaces to improve worker safety and productivity. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to designing and evaluating healthcare workplaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Ergonomist

Healthcare Researcher

Healthcare Researchers conduct research to improve the quality and effectiveness of healthcare. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to conducting healthcare research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Researcher

Safety Engineer

Safety Engineers design and implement safety programs to protect workers and the public from hazards. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to designing and implementing healthcare safety programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Safety Engineer

Risk Manager

Risk Managers identify, assess, and manage risks within healthcare organizations. A firm grasp of the principles of patient safety and healthcare quality improvement are important in understanding healthcare-related risk, and this course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding these principles.

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Healthcare Administrator

Healthcare Administrators oversee the planning, organizing, and running of healthcare organizations. This course would be useful for developing the skills needed to identify and address patient safety and quality improvement issues within an organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Administrator

Industrial Hygienist

Industrial Hygienists identify and evaluate workplace hazards to protect worker health and safety. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to identifying and evaluating healthcare-related hazards.

See salaries and explore the career path for Industrial Hygienist

Healthcare Manager

Healthcare Managers are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of healthcare facilities, including patient care units, clinics, and departments. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and quality improvement principles, which can be applied to managing healthcare operations.

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Compliance Officer

Compliance Officers are responsible for ensuring that healthcare organizations comply with relevant laws and regulations. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding patient safety and healthcare quality improvement principles, which can be applied to ensuring compliance in healthcare settings.

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Consultant

A Consultant's work will often involve improving the safety and quality of healthcare for entire systems or organizations. This course may be useful in providing a foundation for understanding the core concepts of patient safety and quality improvement, which can be applied to consulting work in healthcare.

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