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Table 2 Nurse-sensitive indicators identified from the literature and classified as per the Donabedian quality framework (indicators have been extracted as reported in the literature, and indicators with similar definitions or measuring the same construct are included)

From: Developing metrics for nursing quality of care for low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review linked to stakeholder engagement

Outcome

Failure to rescue

Pain presence

Postoperative respiratory failure

Patient satisfaction with pain management

Patient complaints

Pain management/controlled

Patient satisfaction with educational information

Nurse staff satisfaction

Patient satisfaction with nursing care

Physical well-being

Patient satisfaction with overall care

Psychological wellbeing

Patients’ confidence in knowledge and skills of the nurse

Iatrogenic lung collapse

Patient’s sense of safety whilst under the care of the nurse

Atelectasis

aPatient involvement in decisions about their nursing care

Fluid overload

Respect from the nurse for patient’s preference and choice

Falls

Nurse’s support to patients to care for themselves, where appropriate

Injuries to patient

Nurse understanding of what is important to the patient

Patient’s falls with injuries in the hospital

Patient satisfaction with nurse communication

Staff injuries on the job

Patients experience of care

Knowledge, behaviour, status change scores

Patient/family complaints satisfaction

Physical and mental health change scores

Parent/family complaint rate

Follow-up rate to allergy risks

Patient judgement of hospital quality

Adverse drug reaction rate

Central line catheter-associated bloodstream infection

Total of prescription mistakes

Hospital-acquired pneumonia

Total of transfusion reaction

Respiratory tract infection

Upper GI bleeding

Nosocomial infection

Mortality

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)

Shock/cardiac arrest

Wounds dressed

Deep vein thrombosis

Intravenous/vascular access infection

CNS complications

Thrombophlebitis

Deterioration

Vascular access infiltration

Complications

Vascular access thrombosis

Health status

Peripheral venous extravasation

Symptom management index

Hospital-acquired urinary tract infection

Symptom resolution

Urinary catheter-associated UTI

Metabolic derangement

Wound infection

Functional status

Surgical wound infection

Rate of accidental endotracheal extubation

Sepsis

Retinopathy of the preterm child (ROP)

Intravascular infiltration due to IV therapy

Heavy sedation

Gastrointestinal infection rate

Average hospital length of stay

Pressure ulcer prevalence

Vaccination

Psychiatric physical/sexual assault rate

 

Process

Wound care

Smoking cessation counselling

Skin integrity/pressure ulcer prevention

Smoking cessation counselling for heart failure

Decubitus prevention care

Smoking cessation counselling for pneumonia

The risk factors for pressure sores have been documented

Smoking cessation counselling for acute myocardial infarction (AMI)

Pain assessment with scale and recorded

Nursing care supervision

Chest-abdomen drain changed as by the protocol

Assessment and record reflex presence (e.g. ocular)

Chest-abdomen drain insertion area dressed as by guideline

Proper patient positioning in bed

Mechanical ventilation has been replaced according to protocols

Monitor alarms properly set

Body temperature values have been updated in the last 24 h

ABG result 1 hour after endotracheal tube removal is available

The pulse oximetry has been monitored and recorded

Endotracheal suctioning performed as per prescription and recorded

The ECG and vital signs have been recorded on admission

Hand washing and hand hygiene

Measuring of patient observations (vital signs)

Documentation of results

Fluid intake and output have recorded

Number of patient transfers

Patient washing once a day and recorded

Double-checking of all medication by two nurses

Patient mouth washing as by ward procedure and recorded

Weight documentation daily

aAssisting a patient with activities of daily living

Relative/parent notification of patients transfer

aInstructing patient about self-care

Unplanned admission

aBeing honest with a patient

Interprofessional relations

aKeeping relatives informed about a patient

Emergency care

aProviding privacy for a patient

Discharge and case management

aGetting to know the patient as a person

Appraisal and induction

aGiving reassurances about a clinical procedure

Nurses’ compliance in filling of medical records

Information and involvement of family into the end of life care by nurses

aListening to a patient

Physical and chemical restraint

aExplaining a clinical procedure to a patient

aMedication errors

aBeing with a patient during a clinical procedure

Antithrombotic therapy given and recorded at the correct time

aConsulting with a doctor

aReporting a patient’s condition to a senior nurse

aObserving the effects of medication on a patient

Structure

Satisfaction questionnaire about work periodically administered to nurses

level of education and work experiences of nurse managers

Total nursing care hours provided per patient day

Nursing continuing education

Skill mix (mix of RNs, LPNS and unlicensed staff)

In-service education hours for nursing staff per year

Number of nurses per patient

Educational materials for nurses in the hospital (library, internet, etc.)

Working hours of nursing staff

Organisational goal setting

Proportion of nurses working more than 3 years (nurses experience)

Nursing job description

Nurse bed care ratio

Organisational budgeting for patient safety

Voluntary nurse staff turnover rates

Patient waiting time for nursing care

Patient to nurse ratio

Nursing care standards in hospitals

Nurse vacancy rate

Safety environment for nurses in hospital

Overtime

Practice environment scale-Nursing Work Index

Understaffing as compared to the organisation’s plan

Noise

On-call or per diem use

Emergency equipment/drugs available

Sick time

Total volume of laundry per patient

Agency staff use

Visitation policy

Staffing level of education

Absenteeism

  1. aIndicators used to measure nursing quality from a nurse or patient perspective