Anne Gallen
Health Service Executive, Ireland
Title: Development of a national suite of nursing and midwifery quality care-metrics and indicators using consensus methodology
Biography
Biography: Anne Gallen
Abstract
Background: Due to the complex nature of healthcare, measurement of the contribution of nurses and midwives to care has historically been challenging. In Ireland, the HSE National Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services have addressed this challenge by undertaking robust research to determine the important aspects of nursing and midwifery care processes that should be measured to enable improvement in the quality and safety of patient care.
Aim: The aim of this study was to develop seven suites of nursing and midwifery quality care process metrics and associated indicators specific to Acute Hospital Care, Midwifery, Children’s Nursing, Older Persons Nursing, Community and Public Health Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, and Intellectual Disability Nursing.
Design: A four phase study design approach consisting of a systematic review of the literature, a two-stage e-Delphi process and face to face final consensus meetings.
Findings: Seven suites of Quality Care Metrics and associated indictors have been identified. The new suites will be uploaded to the online audit system entitled “Test Your Care” and will be available for national roll out to all publicly funded HSE nursing and midwifery locations in quarter 3 2018.
Conclusions: Consensus methodology and a systematic review of the literature was a successful strategy to identify nursing and midwifery Quality Care Metrics.