EVALUATION OF WORK PROCESSES IN A HUMAN MILK BANK: IDENTIFYING IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Quality Improvement; Human Milk Bank; Breastfeeding
Introduction: This study integrates the implementation of a quality improvement cycle to evaluate the work processes in a Human Milk Bank (BLH). The BLH is a specialized service responsible for the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and the collection of lactic production of the nursing mother, its processing, quality control and distribution, governed by the Collegiate Board Resolution ( DRC) n.171 / 2006 of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). It is BLH's responsibility to record the steps of the work process. The poorly designed work process is considered to be one of the problems with the greatest impact on patient quality and safety, and it is effective and important to define them through well-connected actions, using prior planning, to make them safe. Rationale: Given the importance of the actions performed by the BLH, it is emphasized the need to manage the quality of work processes, through studies that strive for quality improvement. Such studies, increasingly present in health services, are characterized by local context analysis to identify the occurrence of quality problems. Objectives: To evaluate the work processes in a Human Milk Bank (BLH) before and after the completion of a quality improvement cycle; Characterize the BLH in the physical aspects, human resources and operational; Identify in BLH, possible opportunities for improvement; Perform quality improvement cycle; Test the effects of interventions; Monitor the results achieved. Method: This is a qualitative study, with quasi-experimental design of the type before and after the completion of a cycle of improvement in the BLH Maternity School Januário Cicco, a public institution that integrates the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, located in the municipality. from Natal-RN. Expected Outcomes: It is expected to contribute to improving the quality and improvement of management of BLH activities, from handling LHO to distribution and consumption, as well as speeding up work processes and adapting to good patient safety practices. .