Case Study: Winchester Medical Center achieves improved ICU nursing proficiency and significant ROI with Qstream

A Look Inside Professional Development with Qstream at Winchester Medical Center

Winchester Medical Center, a 450-bed nonprofit rural hospital with a 48‑bed ICU staffed by 150 critical care nurses, faced a critical training challenge: how to ensure high‑quality ICU care amid high patient acuity and a workforce where 58% of nurses have less than five years’ experience. Traditional education—didactic sessions, after‑shift in‑servicing, and LMS modules—proved time‑consuming, costly, and ineffective at demonstrating learning outcomes while straining staff work‑life balance.

In January 2018 the ICU implemented Qstream, a gamified micro‑ and spaced‑learning platform, starting with a short “Back to Basics” module and expanding to additional mandatory modules accessible during shifts or via an optional mobile app. The program reduced non‑productive education time, generated departmental savings that covered the subscription, boosted staff engagement and perceived work‑life balance, maintained stable quality metrics, and is being expanded for compliance, orientation, and physician training.

Winchester Medical Center

Bethann Mendez

Director of Critical Care