title: Quality improvement projects: finding a pathway through policies.
abstract: It is increasingly common for mental health nurses to develop and implement quality improvement and/or research projects. The requirement that these activities be conducted in accordance with local, state and national policy; organizational accreditation frameworks; and within ethical frameworks is daunting. This paper aims to define relevant terms, relate some of the competing demands to each other and outline a pathway for developing nurse-based quality-related projects. When a specific exemplar is required, protocols from Central Sydney Area Mental Health Service will be drawn upon as it is likely that policy developed in this health area will not be significantly different to that of other health areas in New South Wales and other Australian States.
authors.affiliation: Central Sydney Area Mental Health Service (CSAMHS), P.O. Box 1, Rozelle, NSW 2039, Australia. mcleary@roz.cs.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horsfall
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D009517:New South Wales; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*