The teaching nursing home program. Outcomes of care

Increased patient acuity, relative absence of professional providers, and isolation of nursing homes from the mainstream of health care precipitated the initiation of Teaching Nursing Home Programs (TNHP). The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation TNHP provided funding for 11 schools of nursing in collaboration with 12 nursing homes for the purpose of upgrading clinical care in nursing homes, creating an environment supportive of education, and promoting clinical research. A complete evaluation of a TNHP requires consideration of outcome, process, and structure. Quality of care and professional decision making are discussed as two of four areas by which TNHPs were evaluated.