[How do nurses experience and describe quality of care in everyday nursing]

This study examines how nurses experience and describe quality of care in a hospital. Applying a qualitative approach, semi structured interviews were conducted with eight nurses. The data were analysed using a seven phase process of analysis outlined by Colaizzi (1978). Fifteen clusters of topics were found which describe the dimensions of care as seen by the nurses. These clusters of topics could be further segmented into three main topics which are identical with the three aspects of structure, process and outcome quality as suggested by Donabedian (1966). The requirement criteria of the structure and process quality were experienced either as facilitating or inhibiting. The beliefs and the experience of the quality of care in everyday nursing practice were described in a subjective but comprehensive manner The quality facilitating factors quoted most frequently are professional knowledge and the perception of the process of caring. The limited personnel resources due to the vacant positions were experienced as the most inhibiting factor The outcome requirements were mostly related to the issue of satisfaction/dissatisfaction of nurses and of patients and to the issue of examining the quality of nursing. We were able to formulate some recommendations for nursing practice as well as for further studies.