Measuring up to the principles - example measures
The example measures are primarily designed for nurse leaders for the purpose of helping them to strengthen or complement the measures they may already be using in relation to the Principles of Nursing Practice, as a way of improving the quality of care or for influencing the content of local audits and the content of the electronic heath record.
Nurses and nursing staff treat everyone in their care with dignity and humanity – they understand their individual needs, show compassion and sensitivity, and provide care in a way that respects all people equally.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people who felt privacy and dignity was maintained.
- Safe and effective care - Patients / people with nutritional assessment and management plans.
- Context of care - Patients / people who reported nurses talked in front of them as if they were not there.
Nurses and nursing staff take responsibility for the care they provide and answer for their own judgments and actions – they carry out these actions in a way that is agreed with their patients, and the families and carers of their patients, and in a way that meets the requirements of their professional bodies and the law.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Incidence of written complaints / compliments.
- Safe and effective care - Patients whose recorded vital signs triggered an appropriate response.
- Context of care - Teams with shared governance system[*] in place for decision-making and evaluation.
Nurses and nursing staff manage risk, are vigilant about risk, and help to keep everyone safe in the places they receive health care.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people who perceive adequate nurse staffing levels.
- Safe and effective care - Patient falls in which injury occurs.
- Context of care - Teams who have assessed safety climate / culture.
Nurses and nursing staff provide and promote care that puts people at the centre, involves patients, service users, their families and their carers in decisions and helps them make informed choices about their treatment and care.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people who perceive they are provided the opportunity to be involved in decision-making about care.
- Safe and effective care - Patients' / people confident in nurses skills and knowledge.
- Context of care - Teams where staff perceive culture as patient-centric.
Nurses and nursing staff are at the heart of the communication process: they assess, record and report on treatment and care, handle information sensitively and confidentially, deal with complaints effectively, and are conscientious in reporting the things they are concerned about.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people who report they were provided information about the outcome of their treatment / operation.
- Safe and effective care - Handovers that comply with best practice standards.
- Context of care - Teams who have documentation audits i.e. record keeping standards.
Nurses and nursing staff have up-to-date knowledge and skills, and use these with intelligence, insight and understanding in line with the needs of each individual in their care.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people who felt involved in decision-making about care.
- Safe and effective care - Patients / people discharged following discussion with the community nursing team.
- Context of care - Staff receive mandatory training to ensure patient safety.
Nurses and nursing staff work closely with their own team and with other professionals, making sure patients’ care and treatment is co-ordinated, is of a high standard and has the best possible outcome.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people who felt their care as seamless and uninterrupted.
- Safe and effective care - Patients / people who felt health professionals in the team worked well together.
- Context of care - Patients / people who can name their key worker / nurse responsible for their care.
Nurses and nursing staff lead by example, develop themselves and other staff, and influence the way care is given in a manner that is open and responds to individual needs.
Example measures:
- Person-centred care - Patients / people provided with an opportunity to provide feedback about the care they have received.
- Safe and effective care - Patients / people who feel they have received continuity of care.
- Context of care - Staff participating in appraisals annually.
[*] Shared governance is defined as a formal system in the workplace for decision-making that draws on evidence from a variety of sources (e.g. audit, feedback, reflective practice, research) and involves all stakeholders.
Source: Manley K (2007) Consultant nurse: concept, processes, outcomes. Unpublished PhD theses. London: University of Manchester/RCN Institute.