Abstract 

An endocrine disorder that affects women frequently, polycystic ovary syndrome is defined by symptoms like irregular menstrual- ness, obesity, acne, and hirsutism. Appropriate QI strategies are crucial in improving management and outcomes in patients with PCOS for better health management (Guan et al., 2024). It is established that PCOS affects patients’ quality of life; its worsening can be attributed to hormonal changes as well as improper compliance with the prescribed therapy. The use of an established method that is referred to as the Plan-Do-Study-Act, or PDSA cycle, is a quality-improvement tool used in order to enhance patient care by coaching an individual on how to effectively manage a disease and its symptoms through medications and other forms of lifestyle changes (Guan et al., 2024). The ideas of the poster presentation give information about how to use the PDSA cycle to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment in patients with PCOS, taking into consideration such obstacles as patients’ understanding of their condition, psychological issues, and access to the necessary specialists.

Quality Improvement Poster Presentation 

Quality improvement refers to the intentional efforts to optimize the outcomes of patient care and medical interventions. To address the pockets of unfavorable health consequences, quality improvement activities were focused on improving the care, information sharing, and control of patients (Knudsen et al., 2019). The quality improvement activities are meant to enhance patient treatment and reduce medical errors by enhancing the education of nurses, knowledge, and caregiving techniques. Based on the survey conducted by the US Department of Health and Human Services, known as the National Survey, quality improvement activities improve patient outcomes in US hospitals and reduce the possibility of medical mistakes by 50%.

To increase the quality of care and support received by patients, various quality enhancement measures are adopted by hospitals for their nurses and other staff. It was ascertained that the collaborative activities, the PSDA cycle, and training improved the performance of nurses, reduced medical errors, and were postulated as successful strategies in the hospital sector (Turcotte et al., 2023). The PSDA cycle is mostly used to drive effective quality improvement initiatives. Identifying the best practices together with the theoretical and practical procedures involved in developing the plan and making it feasible, helps management a lot in planning for efficient improvement actions.

In the present case, to improve the care of patients with PCOS by the nurses, the QI method of choice is the PDSA cycle. Evaluating the success of QI measures in this method involves the planning phase, including educating nurses on the best practices for managing PCOS (Wang, et al., 2022). The staff is educated about QI techniques during the study phase, and patient education and monitoring of PCOS symptoms are enhanced. The Do stage requires specific activities that may include training and carrying out discussions to improve nursing practices and consequently patient outcomes. 

Limitations of the PSDA cycle 

One helpful framework for evaluating quality improvement is known as the PSDA cycle. However, it has some disadvantages, like too much focus on information which is gathered from different sources, and certain problems with application (Levites, 2022). As for the increased emphasis on training in this cycle to improve quality, it is rather difficult to apply it at the hospital level. This cycle creates difficulty in the retention of patients’ continuous participation in the training sessions, thereby leading to a gap in implementation and outcomes.

To achieve the desired results, it has been necessary to create this quality improvement cycle, including its strategy, training, and assessment components, which involve the expenditure of money and time (Shin et al., 2024). The cycle also called for sustained contribution from all stakeholders, a move that was hard to achieve due to many constraints.

Evidence-supported QI methods

The investigation was conducted on the ways of correcting mistakes that led to the occurrence of medical errors in the hospital. The findings provided evidence that the use of QI methods advanced the learning of nurses and other members of the clinical team alongside strengthening patients’ health (Turcotte et al., 2024). The use of research helps in the deployment of the QI method in an attempt to come up with a solution on how to minimize medical errors and enhance the learning of the nurses, as well as the overall health of the patient struggling with renal failure. The QI enriched patients’ concern with activities such as diet and proper medical resulting in a marked enhancement of their health.

The type of research work done also strengthened the probability of PSDA in increasing positive quality improvement in the health sector in US hospitals (Liu et al., 2023). I established through the research that there is sufficient proof that the planning and study of evidence-based practices assist in training nurses to help their patients in their treatment. Furthermore, PSDA is a cycle type of comprehension assessment process through which the quality improvement planners can adjust quickly the planning and actions for the maximization of the added-up quality improvement activities’ advantages and results.

Identify knowledge gap 

One is in a position to conclude that the deficiencies of PCOS management depend on the existing lack of knowledge and awareness. The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle was planned to work for these knowledge deficiencies to enhance educational training and skills number one among nurses (Guan et al., 2024). Through increasing the learning and talking time with patients this strategy of quality improvement raises the level of patients’ engagement in the management of PCOS. It makes patients more aware of proper treatment techniques and reveals new unsuitable behaviors that have adverse effects on their health. This approach makes patients aware of best-practice care plans to deal with the effects of PCOS and enhance health-related outcomes.

Change strategy foundation 

PCOS studies prove that the causes of the syndrome’s complications are improper handling of drugs and poor lifestyle choices. Some research shows that the improper application of treatment; hormonal therapy and incorrect compliance with medical prescriptions can worsen the condition of the disease (Knudsen, et al., 2019). Further, the practice of unhygienic and a low nutritious diet and high consumption of processed food also add to the overall mismanagement of PCOS. Research reveals that about 30 percent of PCOS suffer from the condition compounded by these dietary and lifestyle factors. These problems should therefore be managed through research-informed approaches as well as lifestyle changes to reduce morbidity and mortality rates in the treatment and management of PCOS.

Potential challenges 

The main risk of moving toward the learning sessions for patients with PCOS patients is their non-compliance with any alterations in the medication and diet. The majority of the patients, especially those who are 40 years old and above may not be willing to change their routines and follow new treatment regimens (Kolhe et al., 2022). It can stem from poor patients’ education and perceived lack of support when it comes to the required modulations of medications and food intake. Other difficulties involve scheduling appointments with other health care providers, for instance, endocrinologists, and dietitians among others. Constraints such as time and finances may affect the availability of this specialist hence denying all the patients a chance to get early and cheap treatment.

Solutions 

To overcome these challenges, there must be proper care coordination, as well as timely and adequate communication with the patient. Focusing on the benefits of medication and other changes would likely positively influence the patient’s attitude toward the change. Furthermore, the long-term support and patient-specific approach are promising to address the issue and enhance the outcome of PCOS treatment.

Effectiveness of interprofessional teamwork 

Teamwork and the collaboration of various disciplines are vital in managing PCOS because they lead to better organization and delivery of care. Through interdisciplinary teamwork, including endocrinologists, nutritionists, and specialized psychologists, teams can develop and coordinate multifaceted management plans for addressing different facets of the disease. It also enhances the use of the PDSA cycle, improving the overall quality of the interventions that are offered and the evidence for those practices.

The CICA model enhances communication within the teams which in turn enhances training and practice to enable proper recognition and handling of issues relating to PCOS. This increases collaboration and coordination in the administration of the condition hence streamlining the overall care and optimization of the treatment goals.

Overall project benefits 

The overall project benefits comprise improved teamwork within the hospital, which greatly enriches the medical treatment of patients. From the standpoint of the listed patient-centered treatment measures, the project helps minimize communication gaps and increase the patient’s understanding of their state of health (Shin et al., 2024). The PDSA cycle has improved the identification of training requirements as well as the efficiency of their delivery, with the engagement of all pertinent stakeholders. It also aims at fulfilling the objective of equal training for all the employees in a team to enhance the health of patients without medical errors and failures.

Conclusion

Overall, the modifications made to the Model for Improvement and implementation of the PDSA cycle in particular have substantially contributed towards better ways of handling PCOS among the interprofessional teams of the hospital (Guan et al., 2024). Because it addresses the need to enhance the patient narrative and minimize obstacles to communication, the project has improved treatment plans and the satisfaction of outcomes. It can be concluded that due to the effective and engaging training of all the facilities’ participants and their continuous involvement, the proper and non-variable providing of care, and the exclusion of medical mistakes and their effects, the overall quality of health has risen and the health risk has lowered.

References 

Guan, M., Li, R., Wang, B., He, T., Luo, L., Zhao, J., & Lei, J. (2024). Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the challenges with managing polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Patient Education and Counseling, 123, 108197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2024.108197

Knudsen, S. V., Laursen, H. V. B., Johnsen, S. P., Bartels, P. D., Ehlers, L. H., & Mainz, J. (2019). Can quality improvement improve the quality of care? A systematic review of reported effects and methodological rigor in plan-do-study-act projects. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 683. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4482-6

Kolhe, J. V., Chhipa, A. S., Butani, S., Chavda, V., & Patel, S. S. (2022). PCOS and depression: Common links and potential targets. Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), 29(11), 3106–3123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-021-00765-2

Levites Y. A. (2022). Culture of interdisciplinary collaboration in nursing research training. Nursing Research, 71(3), 250–254. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNR.0000000000000553

Liu, Y., Guo, Y., Yan, X., Ding, R., Tan, H., Wang, Y., Wang, X., & Wang, L. (2023). Assessment of health literacy in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and its relationship with health behaviors: A cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 13(11), e071051. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071051

Shin, J. H., Jung, S. O., & Lee, J. S. (2024). Identification of North American Nursing Diagnosis association-nursing interventions classification-nursing outcomes classification of nursing home residents using on-time data by Android smartphone application by registered nurses. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 35(1), 46–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/2047-3095.12419

Turcotte, M., Etherington, C., Rowe, J., Duong, A., Kaur, M., Talbot, Z., Mansour, F., Mohamed, J., Zahrai, A., Fournier, K., & Boet, S. (2023). Effectiveness of interprofessional teamwork interventions for improving occupational well-being among perioperative healthcare providers: a systematic review. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 37(6), 904–921. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2022.2137116

Wang, L., Liu, Y., Tan, H., & Huang, S. (2022). Transtheoretical model-based mobile health application for PCOS. Reproductive Health, 19(1), 117. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01422-w