NURSG 520 · Improvement Measurement: Is This Change an Improvement?

Guided Reading: Chapter 5 of Practical Measurement for Health Care Improvement

This is a reading companion for Chapter 5, “Improvement Measurement,” in Practical Measurement for Health Care Improvement. Work through the four questions below with the chapter open beside you. Answer each one in your own words — you can type here and print the finished guide, or print it blank and write by hand.

Before you start: this chapter is in the print textbook, so have your copy open to Chapter 5 while you work. Nothing you type here is saved — print the guide before you close the page.

Not started — 4 questions to answer.

  1. Why do all processes exhibit variation?

    • Variation
    • Process thinking

  2. What is the difference between common cause and special cause variation?

    • Common cause
    • Special cause

  3. How do run charts help distinguish random variation from meaningful change?

    • Run charts
    • Signal vs. noise

  4. Why does monitoring data over time provide more useful information than comparing two averages?

    • Data over time
    • Before-and-after