What is a qlp? | My Site

Quality Learning Points (QLPs)

The qrisp system enables reflective practice and generates organisational learning through the creation of Quality Learning Points (QLPs). All team members can create a QLP, and managers and team leaders are given a clear process to move a QLP through the qrisp process.

Each QLP is a packet of information that travels through the organisation driving discussion and leading learning - following the qrisp process this packet of information creates a learning point.

The process uses objective language, invites reflection and offers the opportunity to share insights. When creating a QLP we encourage team members to be professional, bring a lens of positivity, and have regard to privacy.

QLPs can be generated within the qrisp tool - at app.qrisp.co.nz

We recommend Chrome / Safari / Edge browsers. The tool can be added to your desk-top or phone as a short-cut, bookmark or app.

How to create a QLP? We suggest keep the language simple. What have you noticed that is going well? What could be working better?

It might be something you've noticed that has a bearing on quality and safety? It might be something you've read, or heard at a conference, that if implemented in practice would improve quality? Anything from a faulty piece of equipment to a privacy concern, to patient or consumer feedback - we've outlined some examples below.

Quality reflection is key, pause your QLP if need be. What is your take on this? Where do you see the room for improvement? Keep it professional, not personal. Focus on systems, habits, processes - not people - remember, we all have come to work trying to do a good job.

QLPs are then tagged according to theme. For healthcare these are:

Clinical Process - an opportunity to share updates from reading, or conference that if embedded by the whole team could lead to service improvement. An opportunity to log near misses, and for the whole team to reflect and learn. A catch-all tag for most clinical scenarios that are not related to infection control / privacy / prescribing / vaccination.

Prescribing - QLPs relating to medication. Are there any prescriber updates relevant to the wider team? Any adverse events from medications, or prescribing near misses where the whole team could learn, and become safer in practice?

Vaccination - QLPs relating to vaccination. CARM reporting is well established, are there adverse events, or errors that could be reflected upon and leant from?

Workflow - how is work moving through the organisation? What is the patient journey? Are there ways this can be streamlined or improved? This can range from availability for unwell patients, through to management of inbox, communication of results.

Productivity - we enjoy being productive; patients and organisations both ultimately benefit from a productive workforce and sensible processes. What ways might we improve productivity? This could be with regard to claiming, or simply shining a light on inefficiency, or wastage.

Health and Safety - a focus on risk of physical or psychological harm to staff or persons on property. What do you notice? What are your suggestions for change?

Wellbeing - this looks at the wellbeing of the team. We are all working under pressure, and many errors, near misses or adverse events occur because the clinician, or admin is stretched, or stressed. How do we notice and acknowledge this? What realistic solutions are there that might help?

Privacy - we have all done privacy training and are familiar with the Privacy act. How is this implemented in practice? Are there patterns of behaviour we notice that create risk from a privacy perspective?

Equity - differences in health that are avoidable, unfair and unjust. This include presentation of an audit, with reflection for change? This may look at access - can different groups easily access the service from different cultural, linguistic, practical perspectives?

Feedback - listening to our patients. We can log positive feedback, reflect that most of the time we do an excellent job. We can also readily harvest negative feedback, and advise that this will be reviewed in our quality cycle. This is supplementary to and does not replace your organisation's complaint process.

Equipment / Estates / IT - is there a fault, a piece of equipment broken or needing replaced? Have you an idea for service improvement with investment in new equipment? Attach a photo to this QLP. These QLPs are less likely to be discussed, but provide a useful information stream to management.

Infection Control - we have all done formal training on infection control, how is this implemented in practice? We're all very familiar with airborne and droplet transmission, but we do well not to forget cleaning of surfaces, handwashing, waste disposal. What do we notice? What are our reflections for change?

Learnings from qrisp

Attitude matters

We are all heavily invested in delivering a quality service. qrisp is built on the belief that no-one comes to work meaning to a bad job. When creating a QLP it is important to remember professionalism, acknowledge the challenges, bring positivity, a note of curiosity. Your colleagues will in the same spirit discuss the QLP that you have generated.

In discussions if you find yourself leaning towards blame, why is that? Help your team re-set and look at the larger context, the policies, processes, systems - what might we have the power to change? Use meetings as time to constructively connect with colleagues.

Near misses are golden

The qrisp tool will invite you to log whether there was harm to a person, or a privacy breach - logging this with qrisp allows for cool, calm reflection with your wider team or with management. The tool will prompt you to confirm you have completed necessary actions and communicated with your team lead, or line manager.

A near miss is 'an event not causing harm, but has the potential to cause injury or ill health'. In qrisp we see these as golden opportunities for learning and we encourage regular logging of 'near misses'. Trust your judgement, as part of the ongoing conversation you may find your organisation re-defining what is considered a 'near miss'.