Discussion Board Group 6 Chapman

The Purpose of Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycles

Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) is a framework used to bring in continuous improvement initiatives in four stages: Plan, Do, Study, and Act. Skivington et al. (2021) note that PDSA is an iterative process involving testing interventions on a small scale before applying them on a full scale to improve the possibility of success. Applying PDSA cycles is a structured approach for effective and sustainable improvement of evidence-based practice (EBP). PDSA cycles make small tests of change to baseline conditions before large-scale implementation, making EBP improvement projects possible. Notably, early identification of barriers and facilitators of the process creates room for reducing the risks through these tests: Discussion Board Group 6 Chapman.

PDSA is an iterative process that will produce data to prove the changes and thus improve patient care outcomes (Fox et al., 2023). Furthermore, PDSA loops promote interdisciplinary collaboration through team commitment as all concerned parts have to be involved in the decision-making process to make them accountable; thus, the learning and improvement are improved continuously.

How PDSA Cycles or Small Tests of Change Help to Enhance an EBP Improvement

One advantage of using PDSA cycles in EBP improvement is that it is flexible in different healthcare settings. In comparison, rigid models do not permit customization of patient demographics, organizational resources, and clinical workflow, while PDSA allows customization (Barr & Brannan, 2024). This adaptability is needed to solve complex healthcare problems. Additionally, the cycles are instrumental in encouraging a process for addressing issues in a structured format, which brings people from the front line into collaborative efforts to ensure the effectiveness of EBP interventions by combining different expertise.

PDSA cycles contribute towards sustainability by guiding a continuous evaluation in the improvement process (Brunt & Morris, 2023). It is unlike the traditional protocols because, with PDSA, assessments are ongoing, so the interventions are still relevant and practical when needed. Organizations can create a system of change through testing and refining changes so that the organization is responsive to change in the future.

References

Barr, E., & Brannan, G. D. (2024, January 11). Quality improvement methods (LEAN, PDSA, SIX SIGMA). PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK599556/

Brunt, B. A., & Morris, M. M. (2023). Nursing professional development evidence-based practice. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589676/

Fox, C., Hammond, S. P., Backhouse, T., Poland, F., Waring, J., Penhale, B., & Cross, J. L. (2023). Implementing PERFECT-ER with Plan-Do-Study-Act on acute orthopedic hospital wards: Building knowledge from an implementation study using normalization process theory. PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0279651. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279651

Skivington, K., Matthews, L., Simpson, S. A., Craig, P., Baird, J., Blazeby, J. M., Boyd, K. A., Craig, N., French, D. P., McIntosh, E., Petticrew, M., Rycroft-Malone, J., White, M., & Moore, L. (2021). A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: Update of medical research council guidance. BMJ, 374(1), n2061. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2061

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Module 5: Discussion – Discussion Board Group 6 Chapman

• What is the purpose of Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles? How do PDSA cycles or small tests of change help to enhance an EBP improvement + project protocol?

Weekly Discussion Board Grading Criteria (8).docx

Discussion Board Group 6 Chapman

Resources:

• Textbook: Levin, R.F. & Lauder, B. (2025). Evidence-Based Practice Improvement. Springer Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8261-8213-5 Ch 11-12
• Lecture Materials