QUALITY ASSURANCE: A TWO-WAY APPROACH

Abstract:

Sasmita Dash (39), a Staff Nurse working in the K.C.Pur CHC of Mayurbhanj shared that “Quality of health care services not fully depends upon the technical/ clinical skills of the provider. It is a two-way approach which focus on both the demand site (Client Satisfaction through Respectful services) and Supply site (Skill building on technical concepts)”

Name of the Provider : Sasmita Dash

Designation                  : Staff Nurse

Facility                           : Krushna Chandra Pur CHC

Block                              : Baripada

District                           : Mayurbhanj

Krushna Chandra Pur (K.C.Pur) CHC is one among the 32 facilities with provision of  24X7 health care service in Mayurbhanj district.  Sasmita Dash (39), wife of Surya Kumar Panda is working in this CHC since 2011.  Prior to her joining she has completed her B.Sc (Nursing) during the year 2002.  She has been posted in different locations of Mayurbhanj district (Area Hospital Boisinga & Sarat, UPHC-Kishantandi and CHC-K.C.Pur) and deliver health care services to the needy. She has the experience of working in different types of facilities (Level -1 & 2). This apart she also worked in different departments of the same facility i.e OPD, IPD, Labor Room, Operation Theater etc and handle multiple responsibilities.

Till now, she had conducted more than 400 deliveries among which 30-35 were complicated ones. In addition to this also supported the surgeon during sterilization, IUCD & PPIUCD insertion etc.

After her joining she has undergone a number of trainings (SBA, NSSK, Skill Lab, IUCD/PPIUCD) to improve or refresh her technical skills to ensure quality services. Most of these training's focus on quality by improving clinical or technical skills of the providers but none of them focus on quality through client satisfaction i.e meeting the expectation of the clients, treating them in respectful manner, maintaining equity and equality during delivery of services etc.   

She has an inbuilt perception that client satisfaction can be achieved through quality clinical procedure, positive attitude as well as cordial behavior of the provider.  But the training on Gender, Social Inclusion and Respectful care changed her perception. She has not even noticed some of the disrespect/ abuse discussed during this  training. Certainly these have a negative impact on the perception of the clients towards the provider/ facility.  Due to multiple reasons (lack of human and other material resources, skill & competencies, attitude of the providers, Patient overload etc.)  the clients may abuse knowingly or unknowingly. But this is an eye opener which

Sasmita Dash, SN, K.C.Pur CHC, Mayurbhanj

help them to identify the areas which they deal casually. 

Now she is not only focusing on treating clients cordially but also trying to provide informed & quality health care services in nondiscriminatory as well as timely manner without any harassment/abuse. Always tries to ensure the rights (7 Universal Rights) and entitlements of the women coming to the facility. This apart she has also suggested the block health administration to regularize the BQAC meeting where in discussion on client feedback should be undertaken to address the gaps.