[The results of nursing interventions: is an evaluation possible?]

The growing interest in measuring patients outcomes of nursing is argued has been occasioned by economic pressures and professionalizing thrust of the nursing profession. Problems in defining what a nursing intervention is and what can be considered an outcome are critically appraised. Ascertaining whether nursing care makes a difference by using outcome measures raises methodological as well as professional issues, for instance that of separating nursing from inputs of other professional groups. Opportunities and challenges posed to nurses by patient outcomes research are addressed, together with priorities for future nursing research in the field.