Quality improvement in practice—part two: applying the joy in work framework to healthcare

Abstract

As healthcare systems emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and begin the process of recovery and rebuilding, it is more important than ever to find systematic ways to ensure that all healthcare staff are focusing on their wellbeing, are able to reflect on new ways of working and find methods to improve their experience at work. This article, the second in a three-part series on the practical application of quality improvement in healthcare, presents four case studies that demonstrate the learning from four healthcare systems that have been applying both quality improvement and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's ‘joy in work’ framework to enhance staff wellbeing and experience. These case studies demonstrate the benefits of involving staff deeply in the process of understanding factors that impact on experience at work, developing and testing creative ideas that can make a difference. The ideas that emerged were diverse and highly contextualised to the local service. Ideas related most strongly to four areas: wellness and resilience, daily improvement, camaraderie and teamwork, and recognition and reward. The systematic approach that quality improvement brings is potentially replicable across all healthcare settings, and can provide a way for all teams to have greater ownership and control over their wellbeing and experience at work.