Quality Improvement and Safety Processes in Healthcare Minor

In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) launched a concerted, ongoing effort focused on assessing and improving the nation's quality of care.  The first phase of this Quality Initiative documented the serious and pervasive nature of the nation's overall quality problem.   Now in its’ third phase, this initiative focuses on operationalizing a safe healthcare system that provides quality patient care.

In addition to the IOM, the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project, funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was initiated in October 2005.  It continues in its’ second phase to reshape nursing professional identity formation in quality and safety competencies.

The University Of Pennsylvania School Of Nursing has developed a minor in Quality Improvement and Safety Processes in Healthcare to address these competencies as defined by the QSEN faculty.  Coursework focuses on patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement processes, safety, and systems-thinking skills.  Students are mentored in utilizing a myriad of process improvement tools and have a unique opportunity to complete a quality improvement project in a healthcare organization.

Graduate students in any major can complete this minor in order to best prepare them for careers with a dual focus on quality improvement and safety processes in patient care delivery.

Course of Study:

Core Courses (4 course units)

NURS537      Foundations in Patient Safety (Fall:  M 5-8:00pm) 1CU
NURS612      Principles and Practice of Quality Improvement and Safety (Spring:  T 5-8:00pm) 1CU
NURS650      Health Systems Analysis (Spring:  M 1-4:00 pm) 1CU
NURS698      Practicum: Quality Improvement in Healthcare 1CU