Total quality management (TQM): is an educational intervention effective to apply the model in routine practice?

Objective (s): One of the main strategies for improving system performance is the total quality of management. This study aimed to assess the effect of an educational intervention on the application of TQM in a hospital ward. This was a small scale study of a random sample of 20 nurses working in a hospital ward in Qazvin, Iran. Participants were asked to respond to a questionnaire on importance and application of the TQM dimensions at two pints in time: at baseline (before intervention) and after an educational intervention at three moths follow-up. Data were analyzed using the Paired-t test by SPSS software. There were significant differences on mean scores of the TQM application on several TQM damnations such as customer (patient) attention (P=0.035), staff participation (P=0.037), and patient-nurse communication (P=0.050) before and after intervention. However, there was no significant difference in TQM concept application before and after educational intervention (P=0.014).