Paper
Saturday, July 24, 2004
This presentation is part of : Perceptions of Quality
Perceptions of Quality in In-Patient Units
Hugh Patrick McKenna, RGN, RMN, DipN, BSc, PhD and Sinead Keeney, BA, MRes. School of Nursing, University of Ulster, Belfast, Co. Antrim, United Kingdom
Learning Objective #1: Understand the issues surrounding quality of care within nursing in the present day
Learning Objective #2: Understand the views of a range of multidisciplinary staff and patients in relation to quality in in-patient units and the reasons presented for the changes in quality
Background: This project has emerged in response to increased support for quality improvement activities. To date, evaluations of nursing quality understaken in the UK have used either traditional nursing quality assessment tools or patient satisfaction surveys. This is an international project involving the University of Ulster in northern Ireland, The Royal College of Nursing in Oxford, England and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the United States.

Aim: The aim of this study is to validate a patient and staff questionnaire to assess their perceptions of the quality of care in in-patient units.

Methods; Authors will report on the work undertaken to formulate and validate Perceptions of Unit Quality instruments. This has been achieved by holding a series of nominal groups with a multiprofessional group of hospital staff and with patient representatives. The goal was to develop a list of indicators of the quality of care on in-patient units. Group members were asked to identify up to 10 indicators, which were then shared with the whole group for further discussion. Further work was carried out with the patient questionnaire by undertaking cognitive interviews with patients on in-patient units.

Findings: The qualitative data collected from the nominal groups also provided contemporary insight into the perceptions of quality in in-patient units. The cognitive interviews undertaken with patients gave further insight into these perceptions. The resultant research instruments can be used to assess staff and patient perceptions of the quality of care in in-patient units. Furthermore, the concepts emanating from the nominal group and cognitive interviewing data contribute to theory development on nursing care quality and nursing science generally.

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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004