Despite our varying work environments and geographical differences, nurses across Pennsylvania are united in our passion to improve patient and resident care. At this year’s Quality Care Summit, entitled ‘Partnering for Safe, High Quality and Cost Efficient Care,’ we joined our fellow Nurse Alliance RNs and LPNs as well as CNOs and Nurse Managers from across the state to learn how to better work together as we prepare our facilities for a changing healthcare environment.
Among our many distinguished speakers, we were joined by our keynote speaker, Dr. David Nash, MD, MBA Dean of Jefferson School of Population Health and internationally renowned expert on outcomes management and quality-of-care improvement, who spoke about the current challenges we face in our broken healthcare system and strategies to improve quality and reduce cost.
Throughout the summit, we also had a chance to participate in workshops that ranged in focus from data collection and research to evidence-based practice, grant-writing and the quality improvement method, LEAN.
Although we know the challenges to quality care improvement are complex, we also know that through partnership and collaboration, we are defining a smart, strategic roadmap for success. And as our healthcare facilities must cope with new financial challenges, it is imperative that we continue working to keep patient care and nurse safety a top priority both within our facilities and in the halls of Harrisburg.