Activity Description : Collaboration is essential to the success of quality improvement initiatives. Implementing change requires working closely with all stakeholders involved to develop effective, sustainable solutions. Systems thinking is equally important because it allows leaders to consider the bigger picture, understand how changes affect multiple departments, and promote long-term improvements for both patients and staff. One quality improvement initiative I participated in involved patients being discharged home on intravenous (IV) antibiotics. In collaboration with the infectious disease team, we successfully removed heparin from our line-flushing protocol. Achieving this change required time, patience, and a systems-thinking approach. Our interdisciplinary team met every other week and later monthly to evaluate evidence, address differing perspectives, and develop a standardized process that met the needs of both patients and providers. Together, we also created a medication administration tool (MAT) to guide patients in administering their antibiotics and flushing their IV lines correctly at home. This experience reinforced that successful quality improvement depends on strong collaboration, effective communication, and systems thinking to achieve meaningful, sustainable change.

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