Viewpoints of nurse auditors regarding the profession: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Quality Assurance

Background:

• Nurse auditors play a critical role in healthcare quality and cost management.
• Understanding the professional experiences of nurse auditors is essential for optimizing their contribution.
• Limited research exists on the specific experiences of nurse auditors in Brazil.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the professional experiences of Brazilian nurse auditors.
• To identify the importance, challenges, rewards, and strategies in nurse auditing.
• To provide insights into the role and development of nurse auditors.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study involving 44 nurse auditors.
• Data collected via an online, open-ended questionnaire.
• Thematic content analysis was employed for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• Five key themes emerged: functions, required skills, learning process, advantages, and challenges of nurse auditing.
• Sixteen subthemes further detailed the nurse auditor's professional landscape.
• The study identified critical aspects of the nurse auditing profession.

Conclusions:

• Nurse auditors are vital for healthcare quality; their integration and professional capacitation are crucial.
• Enhanced theoretical and practical education is needed for nurse auditors.
• Educating multidisciplinary teams on the nurse auditor's role improves teamwork and healthcare quality.