A transparency and accountability framework for high-value inpatient nursing care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Nursing Administration
• Health Policy

Background:

• Transparency and accountability policies are key to healthcare quality and consumer choice.
• The nursing profession, despite its size, is largely excluded from these initiatives.
• Existing policies overlook nursing's significant role in healthcare value.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework for integrating nursing into transparency and accountability policies.
• To empower nurses and professional organizations to advocate for policy change.
• To guide hospital executives in implementing systems that recognize nursing's value.

Main Methods:

• Development of a conceptual framework for nursing performance measurement.
• Identification of components for reporting and rewarding nursing contributions.
• Proposal for institutional policy implementation by healthcare leaders.

Main Results:

• A novel framework is presented to measure, report, and reward hospital nursing's contributions.
• The framework provides a model for nursing engagement in quality improvement and consumer choice initiatives.
• It offers a pathway for achieving higher value in healthcare through nursing.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework enables nursing to participate in and benefit from transparency and accountability policies.
• Implementation can drive quality improvement and enhance the value of nursing care.
• This model supports nurses, professional organizations, and healthcare executives in advancing nursing's role.