One year later: evaluating a changing delivery system

One year after the introduction of primary nursing on four medical and surgical units in the tertiary hospital, a 23-item survey was distributed to primary and associate nurses on these units to evaluate the nurses' perceptions of the status of this change in nursing care delivery. Lewin's theory of change provided direction for evaluation of the change. The survey assessed improvements in patient care, changes in nursing practice, and interactions with other disciplines. The majority of nurses surveyed reported that patient care had improved under primary nursing; 100% of the primary nurses agreed that care had improved. The nurses identified continuity of care, communications, and awareness of patient problems as specific areas of improvement. They also identified improved interactions with many members of the healthcare team; the greatest were with dietitians, social workers, and physicians. The authors reported both positive and negative perceptions of how practice had changed under primary nursing. Results from the survey provided suggestions for continued support for staff nurses in this change in nursing care delivery within the studied facility, and suggested the need for future assessment and further evaluation.