Objectives: Quality improvements (QIs) in dynamic and complex health care contexts require resilience and take variability into account in quality improvement. The Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) helps us understand resilience and gain insight into (un)desirable variability in the complex system of daily practice. We explored how using FRAM in the Deming cycle of a QI project can help professionals and researchers learn from, reflect upon, and improve complex processes. We used FRAM in a Dutch hospital to study a QI: Critical Care Outreach Service (CCOS).
Methods: The aim was to use FRAM before and after implementation to create a FRAM model and reflect to health care professionals the mismatch between Work As Imagined (WAI) and Work As Done (WAD). The WAI FRAM model was co-created with professionals before the implementation of CCOS. We used descriptions of tasks and processes for ICU nurses and verified them in 30-minute semistructured interviews (N = 2). WAD was created by input of semistructured interviews with key professionals in CCOS (N = 21) and 3 nonparticipant observations of trained CCOS nurses. We validated WAD in 2 dialogue sessions with key professionals (N = 11). Data collection continued until saturation.
Results: Juxtaposing the WAI and WAD models showed that WAD contained additional functions and highlighted unexpectedly complex functions. Reflecting on the application of FRAM with health care professionals revealed opportunities and challenges, especially time investment.
Conclusions: FRAM helps professionals outline processes and tasks (WAI), learn from, and reflect upon their daily practice (WAD). FRAM models help professionals identify variability proactively to improve practices that enhance resilient performance.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.