Crafting and Submitting a QI Poster for Conference Presentation

Why this topic matters

Quality Improvement is an integral part of modern healthcare, driving better patient outcomes, safer care, and more efficient services. Sharing your QI work, whether successful or otherwise, is crucial for wider learning and preventing reinvention of the wheel across different trusts or departments. Presenting a poster at a national or international conference brings several benefits:

• Dissemination of Learning: It allows your findings, methods, and solutions to reach a broader audience, fostering the adoption of good practices.
• Validation and Feedback: Experts and peers can offer constructive criticism and new perspectives, helping to refine your project and approach.
• Professional Development: Presenting enhances communication skills, builds confidence, and adds significant value to personal portfolios, particularly for those in training.
• Networking: Conferences are prime opportunities to connect with others facing similar challenges or working on similar projects, leading to potential collaborations.

Effective poster presentation ensures your hard work gets the recognition it deserves and contributes meaningfully to the healthcare improvement agenda.

Practical explanation

A QI poster typically summarises a project that has followed a structured improvement methodology, such as PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycles. Unlike traditional research posters, QI posters often focus more on the process of improvement, the changes implemented, and the impact of those changes over time, rather than establishing causation or generalisability in a randomised controlled trial sense.

The core elements of a QI poster generally include:

1. Title: Clear, concise, and engaging, reflecting the project's focus.
2. Authors and Affiliations: Clearly state who contributed and where the work was undertaken.
3. Introduction/Context: Briefly explain the problem, why it was chosen for improvement, and its significance.
4. Aim(s): Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (SMART) aims of the project.
5. Methodology: Outline the QI tools and methods used (e.g., PDSA cycles, driver diagrams, run charts, control charts). Explain how changes were tested and implemented.
6. Results/Key Findings: Present data clearly, often using graphs (e.g., run charts showing improvement over time, Pareto charts illustrating causes). Highlight the impact on patient care, safety, or efficiency.
7. Discussion: Interpret the results, reflect on what was learned, discuss challenges encountered, and explain how the project addressed its aim(s).
8. Conclusion: Summarise the main message and implications. What are the next steps? What recommendations can be made?
9. References/Acknowledgements: As appropriate.

Most conferences will provide specific guidelines and templates for poster dimensions and content, which must be adhered to strictly.

Common pitfalls

Submitting a QI poster can be daunting, and several common issues can hinder acceptance or impact. Being aware of these can help you avoid them:

• Ignoring Abstract Guidelines: Many good projects are rejected because their abstract doesn't meet word counts, formatting, or section requirements. Read these meticulously.
• Lack of Clear Aims: A vague or absent aim makes it hard to evaluate the project's success. Ensure your aims are SMART.
• Insufficient Data or Analysis: Simply stating that an intervention was implemented isn't enough. You need to show data demonstrating the impact and use appropriate QI tools (e.g., run charts) to display change over time.
• Overly Text-Heavy Design: Posters are visual summaries. Too much text makes them unreadable from a distance. Use bullet points, images, and graphs effectively.
• Unclear Narrative: The poster should tell a coherent story, from problem identification to resolution and next steps. It shouldn't jump between unrelated points.
• Failure to Contextualise: Why was this an important problem in your setting? How does it link to national priorities or guidance? Provide relevant context.
• Late Submission: Abstract submission deadlines are strict. Missing them means your work won't be considered.
• Lack of Governance Approval: Ensure your project has received the necessary local approvals (e.g., from your QI lead, clinical governance team, or audit department). This is often required for conference submission.
• Confusing QI with Research: While both are systematic, QI aims to improve local processes and outcomes, not necessarily to generate generalisable knowledge or prove causation. Your methodology and discussion should reflect this.

Step-by-step approach

Step 1: Identify your QI project and its story

Choose a QI project that has demonstrably made an impact. Think about the 'story' you want to tell: what was the problem, what did you do, what happened as a result, and what did you learn? A strong narrative makes your poster more engaging.

Step 2: Select a suitable conference

Look for conferences focused on quality improvement, patient safety, or your specific clinical specialty. Check their previous programmes to see if QI posters are a regular feature. Examples include the Royal College conferences, NHS Confederation, and specialist society meetings.

Step 3: Understand the submission guidelines

Crucially, read the conference's specific abstract submission guidelines. These typically include:

• Submission format: Online portal, email.
• Abstract structure: Headings like Background, Aims, Methods, Results, Conclusion are common.
• Word limits: Strict limits for the abstract body and often for the title.
• Content focus: Is it specifically for QI, research, or service evaluation?
• Key dates: Abstract submission deadline, notification of acceptance, registration deadlines.
• Disclosure requirements: Conflicts of interest, funding sources.

Step 4: Draft your abstract

Your abstract is the first impression of your work. It must be clear, concise, and adhere to the specified structure and word count. Include:

• Introduction/Context: Why was this project important?
• Aim: Your SMART aim.
• Methodology: Briefly describe your QI approach (e.g., PDSA cycles, specific tools).
• Results: Key findings, ideally quantified and demonstrating improvement.
• Conclusion: What was the main learning, and what are the implications?

Get feedback on your abstract from colleagues or your supervisor before finalising.

Step 5: Secure necessary approvals

Before submitting, ensure you have internal approval for presenting the work. This might involve your clinical supervisor, departmental lead, or local QI/audit department. Many conferences require confirmation that local governance has been adhered to.

Step 6: Submit your abstract

Complete the online submission form carefully, double-checking all fields. Pay attention to author lists, affiliations, and contact details. Submit well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

Step 7: Design your poster (if accepted)

If your abstract is accepted, you'll then design the full poster. Focus on visual appeal and readability:

• Layout: Use a grid system, clear sections, and plenty of white space.
• Text: Use large, readable fonts. Keep paragraphs short and use bullet points.
• Visuals: Employ high-quality graphs, charts (especially run charts or control charts for QI), and images. Ensure they are correctly labelled.
• Key Message: Make sure the central message of your project is obvious within seconds.
• Branding: Include your trust's logo if permitted and appropriate.

Step 8: Prepare for presentation

Practice explaining your poster succinctly (e.g., a 2-minute 'elevator pitch'). Be ready to discuss your methodology, challenges, results, and future plans. Engage with visitors, answer questions, and be open to feedback.

Example in clinical practice

Consider a junior doctor working in an Emergency Department (ED) who notices delays in administering intravenous (IV) antibiotics for patients with suspected sepsis. They embark on a QI project following the Sepsis Six pathway.

QI Project: 'Reducing Door-to-Needle Time for IV Antibiotics in Suspected Sepsis in ED'

Abstract Submission:

• Introduction: Sepsis is a medical emergency requiring prompt IV antibiotic administration. Local data showed significant delays, exceeding national targets, contributing to poorer patient outcomes.
• Aim: To reduce the median door-to-needle time for IV antibiotics in suspected sepsis cases in ED by 25% within three months, from a baseline of 90 minutes to 67.5 minutes.
• Methodology: A series of PDSA cycles were implemented. Changes included introducing a 'Sepsis Trolley' stocked with first-dose antibiotics, developing a rapid antibiotic prescription proforma, and conducting targeted in-situ simulation training for ED nurses and doctors. Data was collected retrospectively from patient records and tracked using a run chart.
• Results: Over the three-month period, the median door-to-needle time for IV antibiotics decreased from 90 minutes to 62 minutes, achieving the project aim. The run chart showed a clear shift in performance, indicating a sustainable improvement. Compliance with the Sepsis Six bundle also increased from 60% to 85%.
• Conclusion: Structured QI methodology significantly reduced delays in IV antibiotic administration for suspected sepsis in our ED, improving adherence to best practice and patient safety. Next steps involve sustaining this improvement and spreading the intervention to other areas.

This abstract is concise, follows the structure, and quantifies the improvement, making it a strong candidate for conference acceptance. The poster would then visually elaborate on these points with diagrams of the PDSA cycles, photos of the sepsis trolley, and crucially, a clear run chart demonstrating the reduction in time.

How Lazomis can help

Lazomis offers several tools that can streamline the process of conducting and presenting your QI work, making poster submission more efficient and impactful:

• Project Management Tools: Organise your QI project, track tasks, and document your PDSA cycles clearly, ensuring all essential components are ready for your abstract and poster.
• Data Collection & Visualisation: Easily collect and manage project data. Lazomis's integrated charting capabilities can help you generate professional-looking run charts or control charts essential for demonstrating improvement on your poster, aligning with conference requirements for clear data presentation.
• Resource Library: Access templates and guides for QI methodologies, which can inform the 'Methods' section of your abstract and poster.
• Reporting & Export Features: Generate summaries of your project progress and outcomes, providing structured content that can be readily adapted into an abstract or poster section.

By centralising your QI project documentation and data, Lazomis helps ensure your poster content is robust, clear, and easy to retrieve when preparing for submission.

Key takeaways

• Read Guidelines Carefully: Adhere strictly to conference abstract and poster requirements for structure, word count, and formatting.
• Focus on the QI Story: Present a clear narrative from problem to solution and impact, backed by data.
• Use Visuals Effectively: Employ run charts, control charts, and other graphics to demonstrate improvement clearly and concisely.
• Seek Feedback and Approval: Share your abstract and poster draft with colleagues and supervisors, and secure local governance approval.
• Quantify Your Impact: Show, don't just tell, the difference your QI project made, using specific metrics where possible.
• Distinguish QI from Research: Frame your project as an improvement initiative with local impact, rather than generalisable research.

This resource supports, but does not replace, clinical judgement. Local policy, formulary and specialist advice should be followed.