I'm working toward an MSN/ MBA degree and believe that quality improvement activities need to be taught more extensively in nursing school ("Nursing Education Needs an Overhaul," In the News, April). Integrating quality process improvement and monitoring into nursing project assignments, the curriculum, and care plans will lead to a greater awareness and understanding of-and compliance with-quality improvement activities, improving patient care and achieving sustained progress in meeting benchmark criteria and total quality management standards. Quality management, quality improvement, and risk management educational activities can be integrated at all nursing educational levels.

An educational overhaul that leads new nurses to include evidence-based practice and benchmark-criteria discussions into their patient care plans could lead to a better understanding of core measure processes addressing topics such as pneumonia, stroke, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, anticoagulation, heart attack protocols, restraints, critical lab test reporting, and sepsis.

Lori Hudgens BSN, PHN, RN

Newark, CA