| Level 1: Entry-Level | 
5.1a Recognize nursing’s essential role in improving healthcare quality and safety. | 
 Identify key concepts of quality and safety in healthcare. 
Describe nurses' responsibility in maintaining healthcare quality and safety. 
Explain the nurse's role in preventing patient harm. 
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 Identify nursing-specific quality indicators and safety initiatives to address clinical improvement needs. 
Identify nursing-related system-level factors contributing to patient safety issues. 
Articulate the importance of the nurse as the last line of defense. 
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| 5.1b Identify sources and applications of national safety and quality standards to guide nursing practice. | 
 Identify key national safety and quality standards relevant to nursing practice. 
Identify key organizations that set national safety and quality standards. 
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 Select national safety and quality standards to analyze clinical situations and guide nursing practice. 
Recommend opportunities to improve patient safety based on national safety and quality standards and new evidence. 
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| 5.1c Implement standardized, evidence-based processes for care delivery. | 
 Identify standardized processes used in nursing practice. 
Follow standardized processes for patient care. 
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 Adapt standardized processes to meet the needs of individual patients. 
Analyze patient situations/characteristics and act to mitigate patient risks. 
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| 5.1d Interpret benchmark and unit outcome data to inform individual and microsystem practice. | 
 Identify key trends in unit-level data. 
Recognize the relationship between unit-level data and national benchmarks. 
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 Analyze unit- and system-level data to identify areas for improvement in patient care. 
Use data to support evidence-based practice decisions. 
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| 5.1e Compare quality improvement methods in the delivery of patient care. | 
 Describe the basic principles of various quality improvement methods. 
Compare the strengths and limitations of quality improvement methods. 
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Select relevant quality improvement methods to support care improvement. | 
| 5.1f Identify strategies to improve outcomes of patient care in practice. | 
 Explain the role of patient engagement in improving patient outcomes. 
Use communication and collaboration strategies to improve patient outcomes. 
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 Select evidence-based practice strategies to improve patient outcomes. 
Recommend protocols essential to improve the outcomes of patient care. 
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5.1g Participate in the implementation of a practice change. | 
 Gather relevant data to support the need for a practice change initiative. 
Identify potential barriers to implementing quality improvement initiatives. 
Communicate the rationale for the proposed change to colleagues and patients. 
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 Develop quality improvement projects. 
Model a practice change and serve as a resource for peers. 
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5.1h Develop a plan for monitoring quality improvement change.
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 Describe methods for collecting and analyzing data. 
Analyze key data to monitor the effectiveness of a practice change. 
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 Develop a monitoring plan. 
Justify the selection of a particular quality improvement method to address a clinical issue. 
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| Level 2: Advanced-Level | 
5.1i Establish and incorporate data driven benchmarks to monitor system performance. | 
Determine the specific aspects of system performance that need to be monitored. | 
 Choose methods and frequency of data collection and reporting. 
Use data to inform the development and implementation of targeted interventions to improve system performance. 
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| 5.1j Use national safety resources to lead team-based change initiatives. | 
 Use national safety resources to develop a framework for addressing a patient safety or system performance issue requiring improvement. 
Consider relevant stakeholders for the proposed change. 
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Lead team development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive safety action plan. | 
| 5.1k Integrate outcome metrics to inform change and policy recommendations. | 
 Choose outcome, process, and efficiency metrics to provide a comprehensive strategy to assess change. 
Use outcome data to propose policy recommendations. 
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 Present findings to decision-makers to advocate for policy change. 
Conduct a thorough evaluation of practice change to determine effectiveness. 
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| 5.1l Integrate outcome metrics to inform change and policy recommendations. | 
 Analyze data for a process improvement initiative. 
Identify patterns and trends in data relevant to improvement initiatives.  
Contribute relevant information and insights based on knowledge, experience, and evidence. 
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Collaborate in establishing a plan for monitoring and evaluating outcomes of process improvement initiatives. | 
| 5.1m Lead the development of a business plan for quality improvement initiatives. | 
 Define the scope and objectives of the quality improvement plan. 
Lead collection of relevant data to inform the improvement initiative. 
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 Lead prioritized intervention and evaluation strategies for the quality improvement initiative. 
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| 5.1n Advocate for change related to financial policies that impact the relationship between economics and quality care delivery. | 
 Analyze the impact of financial decisions and policy on quality care delivery and patient outcomes. 
Propose cost-effective initiatives to improve quality care delivery. 
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 Use data and evidence-based strategies to advocate for financial policy changes to improve quality care delivery. | 
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5.1o Advance quality improvement practices through dissemination of outcomes. | 
Construct relevant dissemination strategies for outcome dissemination. | 
Disseminate quality improvement process outcomes. |