title: Thoughts about conceptual models, theories, and quality improvement projects.
abstract: This essay focuses on how a conceptual model of nursing can be the basis for identification of the phenomenon of interest for a quality improvement project and how a theory of quality improvement or a theory of change is the methodological guide for the project. An explanation and examples of conceptual-theoretical-empirical structures for quality improvement projects are given.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Boston.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fawcett
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D058996:Quality Improvement; D013850:Thinking
keywords: change theories; conceptual models; quality improvement; quality improvement theories