Contextual factors and mechanisms in the implementation of Value Stream Mapping in breast cancer centres - A multiple case study.

INTRODUCTION: Lean, especially Value Stream Mapping is increasingly used in hospitals to optimize processes. This method, which originated in the automotive industry, enables all staff involved in the process to make it more customer-friendly. Despite the widely reported success of Lean projects, they have failed in some cases. This study investigated the contextual factors and mechanisms that contribute to a successful implementation of Value Stream Mapping. METHODS: Value Stream Mapping was applied to the discharge process in four breast cancer centers. A mixed-method approach was used in two steps. First, to verify the successful implementation, defined as time optimization, time measurement was conducted at three points in time and analyzed using an ANOVA. Second, an analysis of contextual factors was combined with a qualitative content analysis of mechanisms based on normalization process theory, using routine data, meeting protocols, field notes, and interview transcripts as data source. RESULTS: At one of the four breast cancer centers, lead- and waiting time were significantly reduced; at the others, these reductions did not occur. Failure/success cannot be explained by the size of the hospital, the number of cases or staffing levels. The variable project team composition is evident, especially leadership involvement. DISCUSSION: A comparative analysis was conducted to identify the factors that led to success. These factors were: participation of all leaders relevant to the process, in the case of the discharge process including medical and nursing leaders; dissemination of the changes from the project team to colleagues including its sense and possibility to discuss it; joint reflection of the implementation process in regular work team meetings. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the important role of leadership in implementation projects. Leadership support enabled the mechanisms found. The used combination of theoretical approaches from management research and implementation science determined the interpretation and should be applied more often in implementation science.

Contribuições do núcleo interno de regulação para a segurança do paciente / Contributions of the regulatory inner core to patient safety / Aportes del núcleo interno normativo para la seguridad del paciente

Objetivo: identificar as contribuições do Núcleo Interno de Regulação para a segurança do paciente. Método: pesquisa qualitativa desenvolvida entre agosto a outubro de 2020. Foram realizadas entrevistas audiogravadas junto a 13 profissionais que atuavam nas enfermarias, no pronto-socorro, na gestão da qualidade e no Núcleo Interno de Regulação. Os dados foram analisados com o auxílio do software IraMuteq® e as etapas propostas por Creswell. Resultados: os achados revelaram que o Núcleo Interno de Regulação contribui para a segurança do paciente, entornando as metas instituídas: comunicação efetiva; identificação do paciente; redução do risco de infecções associadas aos cuidados em saúde - a pandemia de COVID-19 foi apresentada como um importante dado; segurança para cirurgia, uma vez que agiliza o acesso ao hospital para procedimento cirúrgico; e diminuição de filas de espera. Ainda, contribui para prevenir complicações decorrentes de quedas, pois o paciente pode ser alocado com agilidade num leito seguro. Por fim, o enfermeiro, no seu papel de liderança do serviço e como elo para a gerência do cuidado seguro, também se mostrou importante. Conclusão: embora algumas fragilidades tenham sido detectadas, a contribuição do Núcleo Interno de Regulação se sobressai por fortalecer as metas da segurança do paciente. Em razão disso, reafirma-se a importância de fluxos regulatórios na perspectiva de gestão de leitos hospitalares, assim como os preceitos da segurança do paciente almejada pelos gestores. Não obstante, o enfermeiro atua como elo entre esses dois cenários.(AU)

Objective: to identify the contributions of the Internal Regulation Core to patient safety. Method: qualitative research carried out between August and October 2020. Audio-recorded interviews were carried out with 13 professionals who worked in the wards, in the emergency room, in quality management and in the Internal Regulation Center. Data were analyzed using the IraMuteq® software and the steps proposed by Creswell. Results: the findings revealed that the Internal Regulation Nucleus contributes to patient safety, bypassing the established goals: effective communication; patient identification; reduction in the risk of infections associated with health care - the COVID-19 pandemic was presented as an important fact; safety for surgery, as it speeds up access to the hospital for a surgical procedure; and reduction of queues. It also helps to prevent complications resulting from falls, as the patient can be quickly allocated to a safe bed. Finally, the nurse, in his role as a leader in the service and as a link in the management of safe care, also proved to be important. Conclusion: although some weaknesses were detected, the contribution of the Internal Regulation Center stands out for strengthening patient safety goals. As a result, the importance of regulatory flows from the perspective of hospital bed management is reaffirmed, as well as the precepts of patient safety desired by managers. Nevertheless, the nurse acts as a link between these two scenarios.(AU)

Objetivo: identificar los aportes del Núcleo Interno Normativo para la seguridad del paciente. Método: investigación cualitativa desarrollada de agosto a octubre de 2020. Se realizaron entrevistas audiograbadas a 13 profesionales que trabajaban en las salas, en el servicio de urgencias, en la Gestión de Calidad y en el Núcleo Interno Normativo. Los datos fueron analizados con la ayuda del software IraMuteq® y los pasos propuestos por Creswell. Resultados: los hallazgos revelaron que el Núcleo Interno Normativo contribuye a la seguridad del paciente, desbordando los objetivos establecidos: comunicación eficaz; identificación del paciente; reducción del riesgo de infecciones asociadas a la asistencia sanitaria - la pandemia COVID-19 se presentó como un dato importante; en la seguridad para la cirugía, ya que agiliza el acceso al hospital para procedimientos quirúrgicos y, en la reducción de las colas de espera. También contribuye a la prevención de complicaciones derivadas de caídas, ya que el paciente puede ser ubicado rápidamente en una cama segura. Y, finalmente, el enfermero, en su papel de líder en el servicio, como enlace en la gestión del cuidado seguro, también resultó ser un resultado importante. Conclusión: aunque se detectaron algunas debilidades, se destaca la contribución del Núcleo Interno Normativo en el fortalecimiento de las metas de seguridad del paciente. Como resultado, reafirma la importancia de los flujos normativos desde la perspectiva de la gestión de camas hospitalarias, así como los preceptos de seguridad del paciente deseados por los gestores. Sin embargo, la enfermera actúa como enlace entre estos dos escenarios.(AU)

Statistical process control of manufacturing tablets for antiretroviral therapy

Abstract In this study, the manufacturing process of lamivudine (3TC) and zidovudine (AZT) tablets (150+300 mg respectively) was evaluated using statistical process control (SPC) tools. These medicines are manufactured by the Fundação para o Remédio Popular "Chopin Tavares de Lima" (FURP) laboratory, and are distributed free of charge to patients infected with HIV by the Ministry of Health DST/AIDS national program. Data of 529 batches manufactured from 2012 to 2015 were collected. The critical quality attributes of weight variation, uniformity of dosage units, and dissolution were evaluated. Process stability was assessed using control charts, and the capability indices Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk (process capability; process capability adjusted for non-centered distribution; potential or global capability of the process; and potential process capability adjusted for non-centered distribution, respectively) were evaluated. 3TC dissolution data from 2013 revealed a non-centered process and lack of consistency compared to the other years, showing Cpk and Ppk lower than 1.0 and the chance of failure of 2,483 in 1,000,000 tablets. Dissolution data from 2015 showed process improvement, revealed by Cpk and Ppk equal to 2.19 and 1.99, respectively. Overall, the control charts and capability indices showed the variability of the process and special causes. Additionally, it was possible to point out the opportunities for process changes, which are fundamental for understanding and supporting a continuous improvement environment.

Preservation of phenolic compounds on dried leaf infusion of Bauhinia forficata Link

Abstract Bauhinia forficata Link aqueous extract is usually recommended as a phytomedicine to reduce blood glucose levels and its biological activity has been linked to the presence of phenolic compounds from B. forficata preparations. Several drying processes are used in the production of dry herbal extracts, which may influence the chemical composition and efficacy of final herbal medicines. Due to significant chemical changes, defining appropriate drying processes is essential for phytopharmaceutical drug development. In view of this, we analyzed dried B. forficata leaf infusion (BFLI) extracts by HPLC-UV-MSn, followed by molecular networking analysis to evaluate the chemical profiles from dried extracts yielded by freeze-and spray-drying processes. The main metabolites detected included 11 ferulic/isoferulic acid derivatives and 13 glycosylated flavonoids. The qualitative chemical profiles were alike for both drying processes, whereas the relative abundance of some flavonoids was higher using spray-drying. Taken together, our results showed that freeze-and spray-drying preserved the phenolic profile of BFLI and suggested that spray-drying may be the most suitable to obtain its dried products. Along with studying the chemical profiles of dried herbal extracts, evaluating the influence of drying processes on the quality and chemical profiles of final products is pivotal and may benefit future research.

Implementación del sistema de gestión de calidad en el Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología / Implementation of the Quality Management System in the Institute of Hematology and Immunology

Introducción: Un sistema de gestión de calidad brinda la estructura organizativa, los procesos, los procedimientos y las herramientas para implementar las actividades y alcanzar los objetivos requeridos. Es un proceso en el que participan directivos, operativos y administrativos. Todos deben reconocer y asumir su responsabilidad para el éxito de la implementación o mejoramiento del sistema y deben esforzarse para alcanzarlo. Objetivo: Exponer el proceso de implementación del sistema de gestión de calidad del Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología. Métodos: Se realizó una investigación descriptiva. Se realizaron encuestas, entrevistas y auditorías para mostrar el desarrollo del sistema de gestión de calidad del Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología. El período de estudió fue de 2017-2020 e incluyó 32 áreas del instituto. Resultados: Se crearon los documentos del sistema de gestión de calidad y el plan de gestión. Se capacitó al personal. Se definieron las políticas, el objetivo y la proyección estratégica de la calidad. Se elaboró y se puso en ejecución todo el sistema documental, con un total de más de 590 documentos. Las tareas derivadas del plan de gestión de la calidad se cumplieron en un 81,25 por ciento, esto permitió identificar las áreas de mejoras Conclusiones: La implementación del sistema de gestión de calidad es trascendental para elevar el buen desempeño de una organización de salud y constituye el motor impulsor para lograr la calidad merecida en todos los servicios asistenciales que brinda, lo cual demuestra su importancia para alcanzar los resultados que espera y necesita el sistema de salud cubano(AU)

Introduction: A quality management system provides the organizational structure, processes, procedures and tools to implement activities and achieve the required objectives. It is a process with the participation of management, operational and administrative personnel. All of them must recognize and assume their responsibility for the successful implementation or improvement of the system and must strive to achieve it. Objective: To describe the implementation process of the quality management system in the Institute of Hematology and Immunology. Methods: A descriptive research was carried out. Surveys, interviews and audits were conducted to show the development of the quality management system in Institute of Hematology and Immunology. The study period was 2017-2020 and included 32 institutional areas. Results: The corresponding documents were created for the quality management system and the management plan. The personnel received training. Quality policies, objective and strategic projection were defined. The entire document system was developed and implemented, with a total of more than 590 documents. The tasks derived from the quality management plan were completed at 81.25 percent, which allowed the identification of areas for improvement. Conclusions: The implementation of the quality management system is transcendental to raise the good performance of a health organization, as well as the driving force to achieve the deserved quality in all the care services provided by any institution, which shows its importance to achieve the outcomes expected and needed by the Cuban health system(AU)

Propuesta de acciones para eliminar mudas en la gestión de los procesos en instituciones de salud cubanas / Proposal of Actions to Eliminate Changes in the Management of Processes in Cuban Health Institutions

Introducción: El conocimiento y desarrollo de habilidades relacionadas con la gestión por procesos en los profesionales sanitarios son vitales para mejorar la calidad de los servicios. Objetivo: Proponer acciones para la eliminación de las mudas en la gestión de los procesos en instituciones de salud cubanas. Métodos: Investigación descriptiva, transversal entre enero-junio 2020 centrada en la búsqueda del conocimiento sobre los procesos en 35 instituciones de salud. Se indagó a partir de preguntas realizadas a los participantes sobre los procesos que realizaban en sus instituciones, sus desperdicios y propuestas de mejora. Se aplicó del enfoque Lean a los procesos estudiados. Resultados: Se identificaron las siguientes mudas: demoras en los tiempos de espera; duplicidad de documentos y exámenes complementarios, exceso de modelajes, traslados innecesarios del personal, errores en la planificación de las acciones de promoción y utilización de recursos humanos en actividades no vinculadas a su formación. Se propusieron para su mejora las siguientes acciones: programación de consultas por horarios escalonados, distribución del modelaje según tipo de institución, utilización de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones, control gerencial de los procesos. Conclusiones: La aplicación del enfoque Lean en la gestión de procesos en instituciones sanitarias permite identificar mudas en su flujo y proponer acciones de mejoras fundamentalmente de tipo organizativo y de control gerencial(AU)

Introduction: The knowledge and development of skills related to process management in health professionals are vital for improving the quality of services. Objective: To propose actions for the elimination of changes in the processes management in Cuban health institutions. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional research from January to June 2020 focused on the search for knowledge about the processes in 35 health institutions. It was examined from questions asked to the participants about the processes they carried out in their institutions, their waste and proposals for improvement. The Lean approach was applied to the processes studied. Results: The following changes were identified: delays in waiting times; duplication of documents and complementary exams, excessive modeling, unnecessary transfers of personnel, errors in the planning of promotion actions and use of human resources in activities not related to their training. The following actions were proposed for improvement: scheduling of consultations by staggered hours, distribution of modeling according to the type of institution, use of information and communication technologies, managerial control of processes. Conclusions: The application of the Lean approach in the management of processes in health institutions makes it possible to identify their flow changes and propose improvement actions, fundamentally of an organizational and managerial control nature(AU)

Panorama da acreditação (inter)nacional no Brasil / Panorama de la acreditación (inter) nacional en Brasil / Overview of (inter)national accreditation in Brazil

RESUMO Objetivo delinear o panorama da Acreditação nacional e internacional no Brasil. Método estudo descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa e fonte documental. Os campos de inquérito foram as páginas online de acesso irrestrito das seguintes metodologias acreditadoras: Organização Nacional de Acreditação (ONA), Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada International (ACI) e QMentum Internacional, além da página do Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (CNES) e/ou sites institucionais. Foram extraídas as variáveis: tipo de instituição/estabelecimento de saúde; regime de gestão setorial; localidade; nível de certificação (em caso de selo concedido pela ONA) e porte (para hospitais). Empregou-se análise estatística descritiva. Resultados apuraram-se os dados de 1.122 certificações, especialmente da ONA (77,2%) e QMentum International (13,2%). Os hospitais prevaleceram na adesão à Acreditação (35,3%), principalmente os de grande porte (60,3%) e do setor privado (75,8%). Houve concentração dos selos de qualidade na região Sudeste do Brasil (64,5%), e a região Norte apresentou menor proporção de estabelecimentos certificados (3%). Conclusões e implicações para a prática as certificações de Acreditação no Brasil remetem à metodologia nacional, com enfoque na área hospitalar privada e na região Sudeste do país. O mapeamento delineado pode sustentar assertividade em políticas de incentivo à gestão da qualidade e avaliação externa no Brasil.

RESUMEN Objetivo delinear el panorama de la Acreditación nacional e internacional en Brasil. Método estudio descriptivo, con enfoque cuantitativo y fuente documental. Los campos de consulta fueron las páginas en línea de libre acceso de las siguientes metodologías de acreditación: Organización Nacional de Acreditación (ONA), Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada International (ACI) y QMentum Internacional, además del Registro Nacional de Establecimientos Salud (CNES) y/o sitios web institucionales. Se extrajeron las variables: tipo de institución/establecimiento de salud; régimen de gestión sectorial; localidad; nivel de certificación (en caso de sello otorgado por la ONA) y tamaño (para hospitales). Se utilizó análisis estadístico descriptivo. Resultados se recogieron datos de 1.122 certificaciones, especialmente de ONA (77,2%) y QMentum International (13,2%). Los hospitales prevalecieron en la adhesión a la Acreditación (35,3%), en especial los hospitales grandes (60,3%) y el sector privado (75,8%). Hubo concentración de sellos de calidad en la región Sudeste de Brasil (64,5%), y la región Norte tuvo la menor proporción de establecimientos certificados (3%). Conclusiones e implicaciones para la práctica las certificaciones de acreditación en Brasil se refieren a la metodología nacional, con foco en el área hospitalaria privada y la región Sudeste del país. El mapeo esbozado puede apoyar la asertividad en las políticas de fomento de la gestión de la calidad y la evaluación externa en Brasil.

ABSTRACT Objective to outline the panorama of national and international Accreditation in Brazil. Method a descriptive study, of quantitative approach and documental source. The survey fields were the unrestricted access online pages of the following accrediting methodologies: National Accreditation Organization (ONA), Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada International (ACI), and QMentum International, besides the page of the National Registry of Health Establishments (CNES) and/or institutional sites. Variables were extracted: type of institution/health care facility; sector management regime; location; level of certification (in case of a seal granted by ONA), and size (for hospitals). Descriptive statistical analysis was used. Results data from 1,122 certifications was obtained, especially from ONA (77.2%) and QMentum International (13.2%). Hospitals prevailed in the Accreditation adherence (35.3%), mainly the large ones (60.3%) and from the private sector (75.8%). There was a concentration of quality seals in the Southeast region of Brazil (64.5%), and the North region presented the lowest proportion of certified establishments (3%). Conclusions and implications for practice the Accreditation certifications in Brazil refer to the national methodology, focusing on the private hospital area and the Southeast region of the country. The mapping outlined can support assertiveness in incentive policies for quality management and external evaluation in Brazil.

Mapping community pharmacy services in Brazil: a scoping review

Abstract The delivery of clinical pharmacy services has been growing in Brazilian community pharmacies, and it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the topic. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of Brazilian studies about clinical pharmacy services in community pharmacies. Original research articles, with no restriction of time, study design, or patient's health condition, were included. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, and Lilacs. Two reviewers conducted the screening, full-text reading, and data extraction independently. ROB and ROBINS-I were used for the assessment of quality. Charts and tables were built to summarise the data. Seventy-two articles were included. A diversity of study designs, number of participants, terms used, and outcomes was found. São Paulo and Sergipe States had the highest number of studies (n=10). Pharmacists' interventions were not fully reported in 65% of studies, and most studies presented an unclear risk of bias. Studies were very diverse, impairing the comparisons between the results and hindering their reproducibility. This review suggests using guidelines and checklists for better structuration of pharmacists' interventions as well as reporting results and measuring fidelity in future research.

A participação de enfermeiros gestores na transformação hospitalar para atendimento exclusivo de pacientes com COVID-19 / The participation of nurse managers in hospital transformation to exclusively care for patients with COVID-19

Introdução: com a pandemia da COVID-19, os hospitais precisaram se reorganizar para atender a nova demanda assistencial; essa pesquisa trata de como os enfermeiros gestores atuaram na transformação de um hospital para referência no tratamento exclusivo de pacientes com COVID-19. Objetivos: analisar a atuação de enfermeiros gestores na transformação de uma instituição hospitalar no contexto da pandemia pela COVID-19; relatar as ações desenvolvidas e as experiências adquiridas pelos enfermeiros gestores na reorganização da estrutura de uma instituição hospitalar no contexto da pandemia pela COVID-19; descrever a gestão dos processos de trabalho de enfermagem nesse contexto; e discutir as experiências vivenciadas pelos enfermeiros gestores na gestão de risco de emergências e na avaliação dos resultados. Método: pesquisa qualitativa, descritiva, exploratória. Dez enfermeiros gestores de um hospital público no Rio de Janeiro foram entrevistados, no período entre janeiro e maio de 2021. Aplicou-se a análise de conteúdo na modalidade temática. Foram respeitados os aspectos éticos. Resultados: emergiram três categorias, a saber: Reorganização da estrutura hospitalar para o atendimento exclusivo de pacientes com COVID-19, que abordou a coordenação da infraestrutura, a gestão de insumos e de recursos humanos, incluindo a contratação de novos profissionais de enfermagem e recepção dos que vieram remanejados de outras unidades; Reestruturação dos processos de trabalho da enfermagem em resposta ao novo hospital e ao avanço da pandemia, que descreveu a gestão de pessoas, do conhecimento e dos processos de trabalho, como a implantação do Time de Resposta Rápida e de fluxos de comunicação entre equipe, paciente e família; e Experiência dos enfermeiros gestores na transformação hospitalar para pandemia: relatos de resultados alcançados, categoria que expos a importância do trabalho em equipe, a relação entre resolutividade, qualidade e segurança, com base no desenvolvimento de competências e habilidades na gestão de risco de emergências. Considerações finais: o trabalho dos enfermeiros gestores na transformação de um hospital referência para COVID-19 no segundo maior município brasileiro em densidade populacional foi essencial. Os enfermeiros gestores atuaram no gerenciamento da infraestrutura, no desenvolvimento de estratégias para enfrentar desafios, e no trabalho em equipe, com destaque para a liderança transformacional. Enfrentaram desafios, como a falta de tempo, a gestão de pessoas em proporção muito maior que anterior, elevado turnover, impactos emocionais da pandemia, novos cargos, setores e conhecimentos. Os enfermeiros gestores valorizaram a experiência, a resiliência, o senso de coletividade e de compromisso para com a equipe de enfermagem e população. Implicações para Prática: destacou-se a importância do trabalho interprofissional, da educação permanente, da gestão do conhecimento, da liderança transformacional, e da aplicação dos princípios da tríade estrutura ­ processo ­ resultado na gestão em enfermagem e saúde. Tem-se a urgência em tratar o tópico da gestão de risco de emergência na educação do profissional da saúde.

Introduction: with the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals had to reorganize themselves to meet the new care demand; this research deals with how nurse managers acted in the transformation of a hospital to be a reference in the exclusive treatment of patients with COVID-19. Objectives: to analyze the role of nurse managers in the transformation of a hospital institution in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; report the actions developed and the experiences acquired by nurse managers in the reorganization of the structure of a hospital institution in the context of the pandemic caused by COVID-19; describe the management of nursing work processes in this context; and to discuss the experiences lived by nurse managers in the management of risk of emergencies and in the evaluation of the results. Method: qualitative, descriptive, exploratory research. Ten nurse managers of a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro were interviewed between January and May 2021. Content analysis was applied in the thematic modality. Ethical aspects were respected. Results: three categories emerged, namely: Reorganization of the hospital structure for the exclusive care of patients with COVID-19, which addressed the coordination of infrastructure, management of supplies and human resources, including the hiring of new nursing and reception professionals of those who came relocated from other units; Restructuring of nursing work processes in response to the new hospital and the advance of the pandemic, which described the management of people, knowledge and work processes, such as the implementation of the Rapid Response Team and communication flows between staff, patient and family; and Experience of nurse managers in the hospital transformation to a pandemic: reports of results achieved, a category that exposes the importance of teamwork, the relationship between resolution, quality and safety, based on the development of skills and abilities in emergency risk management. Final considerations: the work of nurse managers in transforming a reference hospital for COVID-19 into the second largest Brazilian municipality in population density was essential. Nurse managers acted in infrastructure management, in the development of strategies to face challenges, and in teamwork, with emphasis on transformational leadership. They faced challenges, such as lack of time, managing people in a much greater proportion than before, high turnover, emotional impacts of the pandemic, new positions, sectors and knowledge. Nurse managers valued experience, resilience, a sense of collectivity and commitment to the nursing team and population. Implications for Practice: the importance of interprofessional work, continuing education, knowledge management, transformational leadership, and the application of the principles of the structure ­ process ­ result triad in nursing and health management were highlighted. There is an urgency to address the topic of emergency risk management in health professional education.

Atuação do enfermeiro no contexto da acreditação hospitalar: uma revisão integrativa / Nurse's performance in the contexto of hospitalar accreditation: na integrative review

Resumo Objetivo: Compreender a atuação do enfermeiro no contexto da Acreditação Hospitalar. Método: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, realizada de janeiro a junho de 2019, nas bases Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Bases de Dados Específica da Enfermagem, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) e Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online. Foram selecionados artigos originais, nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol, que apresentassem relatos ou experiências da atuação do enfermeiro em contextos de Acreditação Hospitalar da Organização Nacional de Acreditação. Os artigos foram analisados por meio da análise de conteúdo. Resultado: Como resultado encontraram-se 10 artigos que respondiam ao objetivo do estudo e emergiram três categorias temáticas referentes ao papel do enfermeiro: Assistencial, Administrativo e Educativo. Na assistência, o enfermeiro exerce atividades de avaliação de resultados e ações, emprego e elaboração de indicadores, aplicação de protocolos, controle de medicamentos, produtos e equipamentos, articulação entre a equipe multiprofissional e incorporação de medidas de segurança. No administrativo, realização de planejamento, estabelecimento de metas, participação em comissões, desenvolvimento de políticas de qualidade e reorganização do trabalho. Como educador, o enfermeiro desenvolve ações de fortalecimento da cultura de segurança e qualidade. Conclusão: Que o enfermeiro possuía competências e habilidades que auxiliavam no processo de Acreditação Hospitalar, importantes para o credenciamento da instituição Hospitalar

Abstract Objective: Understand the role of nurses in the context of Hospital Accreditation. Method: This was an integrative literature review, carried out between January and June 2019, on the basis of Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, Specific Nursing Databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online. Original articles were selected, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, that presented reports or experiences of the nurse's performance in contexts of Hospital Accreditation of the National Accreditation Organization. The articles were analyzed through content analysis. Results: As a result, 10 articles were found that responded to the objective of the study and emerged three thematic categories referring to the role of the nurse: Assistance, Administrative and Educational. In care, nurses perform activities to evaluate results and actions, use and develop indicators, apply protocols, control medications, products and equipment, articulation between the multidisciplinary team and incorporation of safety measures. In the administrative area, carrying out planning, setting goals, participating in commissions, developing quality policies and reorganizing work. As an educator, the nurse develops actions to strengthen the culture of safety and quality. Conclusión: That was understood that the nurse had skills and abilities that assisted in the Hospital Accreditation process, which were important for the accreditation of the hospital institution.

Resumen Objetivo: Comprender el papel del enfermero en el contexto de la acreditación hospitalaria. Método: Se trata de una revisión integrativa de la literatura, realizada entre enero y junio de 2019, sobre la base de la literatura latinoamericana y caribeña en ciencias de la salud, bases de datos de enfermería específicas, índice acumulativo de literatura de enfermería y salud afín y sistema de análisis y recuperación de literatura médica en línea. Se seleccionaron artículos originales, en portugués, inglés y español, que presentaban informes o experiencias sobre el desempeño del enfermero en contextos de acreditación hospitalaria de la Organización Nacional de Acreditación. Los artículos fueron analizados mediante análisis de contenido. Resultados: Como resultado, se encontraron 10 artículos que respondieron al objetivo del estudio y emergieron tres categorías temáticas relacionadas con el rol del enfermero: Asistencial, Administrativo y Educativo. En el asistencial, el enfermero realiza actividades para evaluar resultados y acciones, usar y desarrollar indicadores, aplicar protocolos, controlar medicamentos, productos y equipos, articulación entre el equipo multidisciplinario e incorporación de medidas de seguridad. En el área administrativa, realiza la planificación, establece metas, participa en comisiones, desarrolla políticas de calidad y reorganiza el trabajo. Como educador, el enfermero desarrolla acciones para fortalecer la cultura de seguridad y calidad. Conclusión: El enfermero tenía habilidades y destrezas que ayudan en el proceso de acreditación del hospital, que son importantes para la acreditación de la institución hospitalaria.

Improving Operating Room Efficiency Using the Six Sigma Methodology.

OBJECTIVE: To help improve operating room efficiency in a tertiary care facility, Six Sigma analysis was utilized. Six Sigma is a technique driven by data, methodology, and a philosophy of continuous improvement to help create a system in which 99.99966% of products are free from defects. This process helps to reduce variability and waste in production, while increasing quality and decreasing cost of the final product. METHODS: The steps of define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC) methodology were used. Variables measured included close-to-cut time, patient-out to patient-in time, and room utilization. Statistical analysis was conducted, while an individual was sent to shadow various levels of operating room personnel to help recognize possible shortcomings in the system, including communication and coordination errors. RESULTS: Baseline results were recorded for each surgical specialty to help determine the specific needs of each OR team. Changes in workflow, such as staggered start anesthesia times, were recommended for each level of personnel based on statistical analysis and observation. Results were followed for several years with initial data showing success of the process. However, ongoing construction and resistance to change has prevented further review. CONCLUSION: While Six Sigma can be a valuable tool, it is essential to have a proper leadership team that includes all stake holders. The process requires horizontal and vertical leadership as well as buy-in from all individuals affected by the process. The synergy of these factors is key for success.

Incident Reporting System in an Italian University Hospital: A New Tool for Improving Patient Safety.

Clinical risk management constitutes a central element in the healthcare systems in relation to the reverberation that it establishes, and as regards the optimization of clinical outcomes for the patient. The starting point for a right clinical risk management is represented by the identification of non-conforming results. The aim of the study is to carry out a systematic analysis of all data received in the first three years of adoption of a reporting system, revealing the strengths and weaknesses. The results emerged showed an increasing trend in the number of total records. Notably, 86.0% of the records came from the medical category. Moreover, 41.0% of the records reported the possible preventive measures that could have averted the event and in 30% of the reports are hints to be put in place to avoid the repetition of the events. The second experimental phase is categorizing the events reported. Implementing the reporting system, it would guarantee a virtuous cycle of learning, training and reallocation of resources. By sensitizing health workers to a correct use of the incident reporting system, it could become a virtuous error learning system. All this would lead to a reduction in litigation and an implementation of the therapeutic doctor-patient alliance.

Quality improvement in hospice settings: perceptions of leaders.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to explore and examine attitudes and perceptions of leaders on application of quality improvement (QI) strategies in a palliative and hospice care organization. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This study employed qualitative research methodology where leaders working in a hospice and palliative care organization were invited to participate in 45-60-min-long semi-structured interview. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the data collected during participant interviews. FINDINGS: Seven leaders participated in the interviews. Five themes were developed from data analysis: patient-centered care; continuous QI; leadership involvement and commitment; communication as a foundation for QI; and perceived barriers. Data analysis suggests that use of QI approach in palliative and hospice care enhances the quality of care provided for patients, and can help improve patient satisfaction. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Because there is a paucity of research on implementation of QI strategies in hospice and palliative care settings, this research can have wide practical implications. This research can provide useful practical tips to leaders as they work on implementing QI projects in their organization. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This manuscript can be of value to leaders, administrators and academicians who are interested in applying QI principles to healthcare processes especially in palliative and hospice care settings. Ability to work with others, solid communication and involvement of employees from all levels can help in streamlining current systems of care.

Chemotherapy scheduling template development using an optimization approach.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to develop a chemotherapy scheduling template that accounts for nurse resource availability and patient treatment needs to alleviate the mid-day patient load and provide quality services for patients. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Owing to treatment complexity in chemotherapy administration, nurses are required at the beginning, end and during treatment. When nurses are not available to continue treatment, the service is compromised, and the resource constraint is violated, which leads to inevitable delay that risks service quality. Consequently, an optimization method is used to create a scheduling template that minimizes the violation between resource assignment and treatment requirements, while leveling patient load throughout a day. A case study from a typical clinic day is presented to understand current scheduling issues, describe nursing resource constraints, and develop a constraint-based optimization model and leveling algorithm for the final template. FINDINGS: The approach is expected to reduce the variation in the system by 24 percent and result in five fewer chemo chairs used during peak hours. Adjusting staffing levels could further reduce resource constraint violations and more savings on chair occupancy. The actual implementation results indicate a 33 percent reduction on resource constraint violations and positive feedback from nursing staff for workload. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Other delays, including laboratory test, physician visit and treatment assignment, are potential research areas. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study demonstrates significant improvement in mid-day patient load and meeting treatment needs using optimization with a unique objective.

Reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections through Lean Six Sigma: The case of the medicine areas at the Federico II University Hospital in Naples (Italy).

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been recognized as an effective management tool for improving healthcare performance. Here, LSS was adopted to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a critical quality parameter in the healthcare sector. METHODS: Lean Six Sigma was applied to the areas of clinical medicine (including general medicine, pulmonology, oncology, nephrology, cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, and diabetology), and data regarding HAIs were collected for 28,000 patients hospitalized between January 2011 and December 2016. Following the LSS define, measure, analyse, improve, and control cycle, the factors influencing the risk of HAI were identified by using typical LSS tools (statistical analyses, brainstorming sessions, and cause-effect diagrams). Finally, corrective measures to prevent HAIs were implemented and monitored for 1 year after implementation. RESULTS: Lean Six Sigma proved to be a useful tool for identifying variables affecting the risk of HAIs and implementing corrective actions to improve the performance of the care process. A reduction in the number of patients colonized by sentinel bacteria was achieved after the improvement phase. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of an LSS approach could significantly decrease the percentage of patients with HAIs.

Using Lean Quality Improvement Tools to Increase Delivery of Evidence-Based Tobacco Use Treatment in Hospitalized Neurosurgical Patients.

BACKGROUND: Health care providers routinely undertreat tobacco dependence, indicating a need for innovative ways to increase delivery of evidence-based care. Lean, a set of quality improvement (QI) tools used increasingly in health care, can help streamline processes, create buy-in for use of evidence-based practices, and lead to the identification of solutions on the basis of a problem's root causes. To date, no published research has examined the use of Lean tools in tobacco dependence. A 12-month QI project using Lean tools was conducted to increase delivery of evidence-based tobacco use treatment (TUT) to hospitalized neurosurgical patients. METHODS: The study team developed a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and counseling protocol for neurosurgery inpatients who indicated current tobacco use and used Lean tools to increase protocol adherence. Rates of NRT prescription, referrals to counseling, and follow-up phone calls were compared pre- and postintervention. Secondary measures included patient satisfaction with intervention, quit rates, and reduction rates at 4 weeks postdischarge. RESULTS: Referrals to counseling doubled from 31.7% at baseline to 62.0% after implementation of the intervention, and rates of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) prescriptions during hospitalization and at discharge increased from 15.3% to 28.5% and 9.0% to 19.3%, respectively. Follow-up phone call rates also dramatically increased. The majority of satisfaction survey respondents indicated that counseling had a positive or neutral impact on stress level and overall satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Lean tools can dramatically increase use of evidence-based TUT in hospitalized patients. This project is easily replicable by professionals seeking to improve delivery of tobacco treatment. These findings may be particularly helpful to inpatient surgical departments that have traditionally been reticent to prescribe NRT.

Improving performances of the knee replacement surgery process by applying DMAIC principles.

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: The work is a part of a project about the application of the Lean Six Sigma to improve health care processes. A previously published work regarding the hip replacement surgery has shown promising results. Here, we propose an application of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control) cycle to improve quality and reduce costs related to the prosthetic knee replacement surgery by decreasing patients' length of hospital stay (LOS) METHODS: The DMAIC cycle has been adopted to decrease the patients' LOS. The University Hospital "Federico II" of Naples, one of the most important university hospitals in Southern Italy, participated in this study. Data on 148 patients who underwent prosthetic knee replacement between 2010 and 2013 were used. Process mapping, statistical measures, brainstorming activities, and comparative analysis were performed to identify factors influencing LOS and improvement strategies. RESULTS: The study allowed the identification of variables influencing the prolongation of the LOS and the implementation of corrective actions to improve the process of care. The adopted actions reduced the LOS by 42%, from a mean value of 14.2 to 8.3 days (standard deviation also decreased from 5.2 to 2.3 days). CONCLUSIONS: The DMAIC approach has proven to be a helpful strategy ensuring a significant decreasing of the LOS. Furthermore, through its implementation, a significant reduction of the average costs of hospital stay can be achieved. Such a versatile approach could be applied to improve a wide range of health care processes.

[Quality Management for Surgeons: The Knowledge of Basic Contexts and Innovative Strategies Promotes the Competitiveness of Clinical Department]. / Qualitätsmanagement für Chirurgen ­ Kenntnis grundlegender Zusammenhänge und innovativer Strategien fördert die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Fachabteilung.

Efficient quality management aiming to achieve high quality in patient care is crucial to the success of a surgery department. This requires the knowledge of relevant terms und contexts of quality management. Implementation remains difficult in the light of demographic change and skills shortage. If a hospital has an efficient internal quality management in place, this should be used as a supplementary instrument. Otherwise it is the (sole) task of a specialist department to ensure quality for patients, employees, and cooperative partners. This paper provides basic knowledge on quality management, risk management, and quality assurance in the context of relevant medical terms. It demonstrates new ways for implementation on the level of a surgery department, and introduces a new model of quality.

The effects of a lean transition on process times, patients and employees.

Purpose Treatment delays must be avoided, especially in oncology, to assure sustainable high-quality health care and increase the odds of survival. The purpose of this paper is to hypothesize that waiting times would decrease and patients and employees would benefit, when specific lean interventions are incorporated in an organizational improvement approach. Design/methodology/approach In 2013, 15 lean interventions were initiated to improve flow in a single radiotherapy institute. Process/waiting times, patient satisfaction, safety, employee satisfaction, and absenteeism were evaluated using a mixed methods methodology (2010-2014). Data from databases, surveys, and interviews were analyzed by time series analysis, χ2, multi-level regression, and t-tests. Findings Median waiting/process times improved from 20.2 days in 2012 to 16.3 days in 2014 ( p<0.001). The percentage of palliative patients for which waiting times had exceeded Dutch national norms (ten days) improved from 35 (six months in 2012: pre-intervention) to 16 percent (six months in 2013-2014: post-intervention; p<0.01), and the percentage exceeding national objectives (seven days) from 22 to 17 percent ( p=0.44). For curative patients, exceeding of norms (28 days) improved from 17 (2012) to 8 percent (2013-2014: p=0.05), and for the objectives (21 days) from 18 to 10 percent ( p<0.01). Reported safety incidents decreased 47 percent from 2009 to 2014, whereas safety culture, awareness, and intention to solve problems improved. Employee satisfaction improved slightly, and absenteeism decreased from 4.6 (2010) to 2.7 percent (2014; p<0.001). Originality/value Combining specific lean interventions with an organizational improvement approach improved waiting times, patient safety, employee satisfaction, and absenteeism on the short term. Continuing evaluation of effects should study the improvements sustainability.