Normanna is a 100-resident care home in Burnaby, operated by the non-profit Norwegian Old People’s Home Association. A staff engagement survey made home leaders realize there wasn’t a forum for staff to share their issues and challenges and offer solutions. As a result, a Staff Continuous Quality Improvement Committee was established (this is different than the Occupational Health and Safety Committee).

Many organizations struggle with implementing new strategies to improve safety and care because they don’t effectively engage all staff in strategy development or implementation. ‘It’s very important to engage our front-line staff because they are the ones who know the type of challenges they face on a daily basis and how to make improvements,” says Walid Bazzi, VP of Clinical Operations for CareCorp Seniors Services, which manages Normanna.

The Committee meets monthly for about 30 minutes, and comprises a multidisciplinary team from various departments. “Each department shares quality improvement ideas and solutions related to policies and procedures, care delivery, protocols, physical plant and general safety concerns,” says Bazzi.

The Committee provides a forum for staff to proactively bring forward concerns and ideas, improving quality and enhancing everyone’s safety. It enables staff to bridge the gap between quality care and safety. “The committee encourages all members to identify and mitigate risks to prevent injuries and promote an effective culture of safety,” adds Bazzi.

One example identified by committee members was the uneven distribution of care staff between neighbourhoods. A workload assessment tool was created where individual residents’ activity of daily living needs per neighbourhood was measured. The results were reviewed and led to reallocating staff from one neighbourhood to another to make it more efficient while staying resident-focused.

Many improvement ideas continue to come from staff, and the Committee has greatly impacted Normanna’s culture and engagement because the staff know they are being heard and respected.

“Regular surveys from staff, residents and families are contributing to the continuous quality improvement initiative which helps identify potential workplace hazards minimizing the risk of workplace injuries.”

A Quality Improvement Corner was also established to serve as a visual reminder for staff, residents and visitors.