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Using Process Flow Charts to Improve Clinical Care


Submitter Information


Name: Leslie W. Hall
Title: Associate Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine
Credentials: M.D.
Organization: University of Missouri - Columbia
Email: HallLW@health.missouri.edu
Address 1: 1 Hospital Drive; Suite 1W 25
City: Columbia
State: MO
ZIP: 65212

Teaching Strategy


Competency Category(s):
Learner Level(s):
  • Pre-licensure ADN/diploma
  • Pre-licensure BSN
  • RN to BSN
  • New graduates/transition to practice
  • Graduate students

Learner Setting(s):
  • Online or web-based modules
  • Classroom
  • Independent study

Strategy Type:
  • Case studies, problem-based learning assignments, reflective practice exercises

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this session, the learner will:

• Demonstrate an understanding of how information regarding a care process can be organized into a process flow chart • Understand how the process flow chart may help to identify unwanted variation in a clinical process • Understand how the process flow chart may be utilized to identify high impact areas for instituting change in a clinical process

Strategy Overview:

This relatively simple exercise provides an opportunity for nursing students to examine a common clinical care process (administration of inpatient antibiotics) that is not occurring efficiently and examine what some of the root causes might be that are causing the delays. The concept of a process flow chart is introduced as a tool to identify high impact areas that might be high leverage areas for change. The chart is also introduced as a tool that can be used to identify practice variations. The importance of this exercise is to introduce the idea that an inefficient process can be reduced to a series of clinical steps, rather than viewing it as dysfunctional individuals (which usually leads to feelings or statements of blame). Identification of the high impact change areas can allow interventions to be appropriately focused where the greatest benefit will accrue.


Submitted Materials


Media Type(s):
  • MS Word documents
  • MS Powerpoint documents

File(s):



Evaluation Description


This teaching exercise has been used in a variety of small group learning environments, with positive feedback from learners. Although it has not been utilized by the author in independent study or as part of a computer-based module, the content is probably amenable to delivery by these methods as well.