An exploration of health care professionals' experiences of participating in and leading a quality improvement collaborative in the University of Limerick hospitals

This report provides the findings of a qualitative descriptive study exploring the experiences of nurses, midwives and other health care professionals involved in three Quality Improvement Collaboratives (QICs). These were linked to a bespoke Nurse and Midwife leadership programme in the University of Limerick Hospitals (ULH) between March 2013 and April 2015. Each Collaborative was comprised of a four day Future Nurse and Midwife Leadership (FNML) programme interspersed with a four day Quality Collaborative Programme (total=8 days). The learning derived from the FNML programme and outcomes from the quality improvement initiatives were presented by participants at a forum day at the end of programme. The overall aim of these initiatives was to build leadership capacity while enabling clinical managers to develop the skills to implement quality improvements. Three sets of collaboratives, each linked to an area of practice requiring improvement were initiated. These were (a) falls and falls prevention (b) communication in maternal and child health and (c) safe surgery and patient flow through theatres. The clinical nurse or midwife manager (from the FNML programme) led or co-led a team with a medical or surgical colleague.