Guidelines for professional development in the formulation of nursing standards

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Professional Development

Background:

• Quality improvement in nursing involves setting standards, monitoring compliance, and taking corrective actions.
• Developing and implementing nursing standards is crucial for enhancing patient care quality.
• Existing models for standard development require refinement for practical application in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe guidelines for professional development in formulating nursing standards.
• To present a model for standard development successfully implemented in a nursing service.
• To facilitate excellence in the formulation of nursing standards within academic hospitals.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory and descriptive research strategy was employed.
• The study was conducted in a nursing service at an academic hospital in Gauteng.
• Guidelines were developed based on a Model for standard development.

Main Results:

• The developed guidelines for nursing standard formulation were successfully implemented.
• The implementation process provided insights into practical challenges and successes.
• The study demonstrated the feasibility of the Model for standard development in a real-world setting.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of these guidelines can lead to excellence in nursing standard formulation.
• Professional development in standard setting is essential for quality nursing care.
• The study provides a framework adaptable for other healthcare institutions seeking to improve nursing standards.