Kathleen Abrahamson, Heather Davila, Christine Mueller, Thomas Inui, Greg Arling

We conducted a case study based on interviews with nursing home employees (staff and management) participating in a falls reduction project to better understand the lived experience of nursing home quality improvement. Our case study was part of an evaluation of an innovative pay-for-performance policy in the state of Minnesota. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 nursing home employees from within each of the 13 facilities participating in the successful falls reduction project. Our analysis focused on respondent perceptions of the quality improvement implementation process. Interview respondents noted the importance of organizational flexibility and adaptation to change; communication and connections between residents, family members, and staff; and the importance of input from diverse roles. Importantly, interview respondents noted changes that extended well beyond the domain of falls. Knowledge from this study highlights the experiences of care providers enacting change and potentially informs the development of management and program policies that encourage and reward quality nursing home care.