Congress Abstracts 2004

220

CHANGING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE BY CELEBRATING QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS: AN INSTITUTE WIDE APPROACH. Charles Borden, MBA, Prabhjyot Singh, RN, MPH, and Elizabeth Tracey, PhD, RN, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.

Recognition and reward through quality improvement enhances professional growth through appreciation. Applying quality improvement methods and principles is essential in shifting organizational culture. Research has shown that this endeavor requires a strong focus on recognition and knowledge management. At our large ambulatory academic medical center, this effort has been supported by the quality improvement department, which serves as internal consultant.

In the last two years, our facility has held an annual quality improvement fair that showcases and celebrates improvement projects from departments across the facility. Awards are given for project of the year, department of the year, and teamwork of year. Throughout the year, directors, supervisors, managers, and staff submit template summaries of improvement activities. Examples of oncology nursing staff submissions include “Implementation of Exam and Infusion Triage Nurse” and “Pediatric Oncology New Patient Education.” The quality improvement department catalogs submissions and selects nominees based on set criteria such as multi-disciplinary representation, using quality improvement principles, and pre- and post-measurement. A multi-disciplinary committee selects award winners. At the fair, all summaries are displayed. Award nominees are showcased using a template storyboard format. A tone of celebration and importance is emphasized. All attendees are given door prizes and entered in a raffle.

There were 51 quality improvement project submissions across all departments, compared to 23 the previous year. The oncology nursing department submitted 11 projects versus four from the previous year. 300 staff attended the event compared to 200 the previous year. The excitement and positive feedback from nursing staff expressed through personal appreciation indicated that the fair was successful in providing much needed information, reward, and recognition.

This project demonstrates how one annual event can contribute to achieving culture change. At the basic level, the fair comprehensively recognized and communicated important improvement work at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. From an organizational view, the fair’s open, collaborative, learning environment reflected and promoted our commitment to our core values: Impact, Excellence, Compassion/Respect, and Discovery. Additionally, the event emphasized that change can happen, be effective, and be done efficiently. Creating culture change by celebrating improvements is important to oncology nursing because it offers a venue to reward and recognize staff and increase communication.