The functional message behavior inventory. Linking nursing action with health care outcomes

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Quality
• Primary Care

Background:

• Rising concerns about healthcare costs and quality necessitate clear definitions of expanded-role nurses' contributions.
• Expanded-role nurses require methods to document their unique impact on primary care.
• Existing process measures may not fully capture the nuances of nursing practice in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the strengths and limitations of an existing primary care process measure.
• To propose a conceptual framework for an alternative process measure.
• To facilitate research linking nursing actions to healthcare outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Critically evaluated the nurse practitioner rating form as a primary care process measure.
• Developed a conceptual framework for a new process measure.
• Proposed the functional message behavior inventory as an alternative.

Main Results:

• Identified limitations in the existing nurse practitioner rating form.
• Outlined a framework for a more comprehensive process measure.
• Introduced the functional message behavior inventory as a potential tool.

Conclusions:

• A robust process measure is crucial for demonstrating the value of expanded-role nurses in primary care.
• The functional message behavior inventory offers a promising alternative for evaluating nursing processes.
• Further research is needed to validate and implement new process measures.