Case Analysis : ' The Quality Assurance Department '

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA) was signed into law on July 29, 2005, published on November 21, 2008 and became effective on January 19, 2009 (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d). PSQIA catalyzes sharing of healthcare data, information and patient safety practices between health care organizations by creating Patient Safety Organizations (PSO). Providers can report or share information related to patient safety events with PSO without the fears of liability, because “ PSQIA provides federal privilege and confidentiality protections for patient safety information, called patient safety work product” (USDHMS, n.d ). This means protected information cannot be introduced in any federal, state, local, or tribal civil,

Quality Associates, Inc., a consulting firm, advises its clients about sampling and statistical procedures that can be used to control their manufacturing processes. IN one particular application, a client game quality associates a sample of 800 observations taken during a time in which that client's process was operating satisfactorily. The sample standard deviation for there data was .21 ; hence, with so much data, the population standard deviation was assumed to be .21. Quality associates then suggested that random samples of size 30 be taken periodically to monitor the process on an ongoing basis. BY analyzing the new samples, the client could quickly learn whether the process was operating satisfactorily. when the process was not

(Campbell, 2016). Two giants in childhood lead poisoning research and advocacy, Dr. Philip Landrigan and Dr. David Bellinger, summarize the adverse effects of lead very completely, yet succinctly: “Lead is a devastating poison. It damages children’s brains, erodes intelligence, diminishes creativity and the ability to weigh consequences and make good decisions, impairs language skills, shortens attention span, and predisposes to hyperactive and aggressive behavior. Lead exposure in early childhood is linked to later increased risk for dyslexia and school failure.”(p. 3).

If the United States does not start regulating more toys more frequently, then the number of hospital visits in children will see a dramatic increase because of the continued exposure to lead exposed toys. This is going to

We have a large shipment of our elementary toy collection scheduled ship at the end of this week but have encountered a problem with the production. One of the products in this collection has failed the quality control testing exceeding the legal limits of lead set by the federal government. This shipment will be delivered to South American schools. As of August 14, 2011 the total legal lead content must not exceed 100 parts per million for a product (CPSC 2013). Our levels tested above these limits and require us to take action. To reproduce this product it will cost the company

Lead poisoning in children was first discovered in 1890 in Queensland, Australia. The lead source was not identified until 1904, when a researcher traced it to the paint used on railings and verandahs. The first discovery of lead poisoning in the United States (with a traceable source) was in 1914; the child had chewed the paint off of his crib. At this time they linked lead poisoning as a cause of convulsions in children. As research progressed and more children were found with high lead levels, symptoms caused by lead were expanded to include lead meningitis, acute encephalopathy, intellectual dullness, reduced consciousness, seizures, comas, and death (Chisholm, 1982).

Lead, a naturally occurring metal and can be used in almost everything. It can cause serious health issues if it is exposed for a long time, particularly in children as they are more susceptible to absorbing and retaining lead in their bodies. Each year, in the United States 310,000 of 1- to 5-year age group are found to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood, which can cause a wide range of symptoms. (1)

Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) communicates the following five elements: design and scope, governance and leadership, feedback, data systems and monitoring, performance improvement projects, and systematic analysis and systemic action. The purpose of this paper is to communicate issues surrounding these topics, as well as aging problems. Are the topics evidence based? Do they have supporting documentation to put them into practice at various facilities? Can executing the aforementioned items make a difference at institutions? Now, start the journey to see how each section can be applied to your workplace.

March 2006, one of Mattel’s acquisition companies, American Girl Inc., had to recall about 180,000 pieces of American Girl Children’s Jewelry due to toxic levels of lead paint. (cpsc.gov) Lead paint was then also found in several more products leading to four other recalls over then next year and a half, in various Mattel toys. Lead based paint, wasn’t the only major recall issue Mattel was having at that time, toys were also being recalled for small loose magnets. If a child swallowed the magnet they could choke. If more than one magnet was swallowed it could cause the magnets to attract one another inside a child causing infection, blockage or internal perforations all of which could be fatal.

For this lab rotation Rusty decided to talk quality control with Josie and I because a lot of the staff was at a really important meeting. Throughout the entire internship I've heard and seen the term QC, but oddly enough I didn't understand what it meant.

Many children are negatively affected from high levels of lead in the soil. Up to a 100, 000 children may have been poisoned by the lead, interfering with their intellect and future. Many reports have also come up saying that the lead poisoning affected the children’s growth. Also, some children that have been poisoned have trouble learning and focussing. The lead company is reopening, and they are going way over the limit on the amount of toxic fumes you can emit. This is putting children and individuals in the area at risk.

Since Mattel’s products are now being imported into the U.S., several government agencies and laws have to be taken into consideration, of which pertain to both countries’ government, Chain and the U.S. Some of these agencies in the U.S. are the Consumer Product Safety Commission, whose job is to make sure any and all products that are entering the U.S. are safe for people. The acting commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission was negotiating for broader testing and urged consumers to not overreact to the recalls. As for the safety aspect there is several differences between the two for lead. In China the government standard for lead products in the household, are to only contain 90 parts of lead per million in any product. In the U.S. the standard is allowed to be as high as 600 parts per million. The major difference is that the U.S. has banned the use of lead completely for toy products. As such in the U.S. the standards are held to high

Coming to the modern days, it was discovered that lead was an excellent additive for paint. In the 1900’s lead had become a part of the modern lifestyle, it could be found in household items, eating utensils, children’s’ toys, baby cribs, and gasoline and pipes. Upon discovering the negative side effects of lead; France, Belgium, and Austria banned lead interior paint in 1909. Then by 1922 the League of Nations had banned lead paint completely. Despite all the records showing how awful lead poisoning can be it wasn’t until 1971 that the U.S. had phased out lead based paint with the Lead Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act. In this act Title 42 Chapter 63 Subchapter IV states; “(A) Prohibits the application of lead-based paint on cooking utensil, drinking utensil, or eating utensil manufactured and distributed after January 13, 1971. (B) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall take steps and impose such conditions as may be necessary or appropriate to prohibit the use of

To please the public the industry also said they would conduct research about the effects of lead, but the research was funded by the lead industry so they skewed the presentation of the results to the public. Soon there were also cases reported of lead poisoning in children from their habit of biting lead-painted toys. This time the lead industry tried to distract the public by increasing their advertisements highlighting the benefits of lead using the mascot of the Dutch Boy Painter and slogans, such as “ethyl is to gasoline what vitamins are to food.” However, by the 1970’s with the introduction of safer elements and the decrease in public support, the lead industry lost its importance in the world.

Quality is never an accident it is always the results of high intention, sincere efforts, intelligent directions and skillful execution, it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.