[Quality of services in a small hospital]

The nursing services department of a 64 bed hospital in Caraquet, New Brunswick, (serving a widespread population of 25,000 people) decided to check the quality of care offered to their patients. A search was conducted among numerous quality of care management models to find the one that best suited their needs. They chose a structured quality appraisal and management program currently being used by the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. The author outlines the way quality assurance directors in this Montreal hospital empower their health care providers. The author describes the concept of quality and summarizes the oriental and occidental ideologies that influence it. The nursing staff's perception of the essential elements of quality assurance are explained and the stages are identified. The author maintains that decentralization and delegation empowers individuals and instills confidence while maintaining the essential personal touch. She believes that the organization of the future is one that will promote teamwork. She also believes that motivation, participative management and workplace satisfaction promote quality care--"care that doesn't cost a dime." This program has numerous advantages. It allows employees to fully participate in the process. It also averts potential problems, and provides employees with the ability to discover and problem solve when necessary. It also allows for the strengths and weaknesses of each service to be outlined and identified deficiencies corrected.