Implementation of a brief intensive education programme in quality improvement.

Abstract

Training in quality improvement (QI) and patient safety remains highly variable despite regulatory mandates. We describe a novel, intensive 5-day experiential QI education programme for postgraduate trainees that integrates real-world observation, brief didactic sessions and workshop-based improvement work, supplemented by creative storytelling and team-based development of campaign media products. First-year anaesthesia residents conducted over 100 structured operating room observations and interviews, collected quantitative and qualitative data on distractions and presented improvement proposals that they developed to institutional stakeholders along with narrative campaign videos. Postcourse evaluations demonstrated a significant increase in trainee confidence in QI methodology and presentation, with participants valuing the experiential and creative elements over traditional didactic instruction. This model demonstrates the feasibility, reproducibility and educational value of immersive, short-duration QI training in authentic clinical settings and suggests a promising alternative to longer, resource-intensive curricula.