An exploratory study of quality improvement team participants\u27 experience

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how team members of an academic health science center perceived their quality improvement team experience and the organization\u27s TQM initiative. The methods were guided by the assumptions and characteristics of the constructivist paradigm. Maximum variation sampling procedures were used with a nomination and selection process to obtain informants. Seven participants of completed teams were interviewed. The characteristics used to select informants included employment level, years of service and work area in the organization, number of quality improvement team experiences and gender. The main categories formulated to describe the members\u27 perception included: selection issues, team activities, team challenges team success factors, benefits of team participation, attitudes about the quality improvement teams and the organization\u27s quality improvement initiative, and ideas for improving the quality improvement efforts. The major findings included a look at selection, preparation, support and structure. The study identified why members thought they were selected for a team; what they considered to be appropriate preparation to participate on a team; the type of management and resource support they deemed necessary to assist in their team efforts; and how structure inherent in the quality improvement process and meetings helped them to succeed. The study also produced a beginning look at the benefits of participating in TQM teams as perceived by team members. These benefits included: improved relationships with their co-workers and others on the team; an ability to view others differently; new skills to be applied to their daily work; and a broadened understanding and perspective of the organization. The study identified characteristic differences in how the members perceived their team experience. There were differences in how males and females viewed the use of tools, the comfort level with interacting in the team and tolerance of the amount of time the team process took. There were differences in how the members of the different employment level viewed support and what they gained out of the team experience