title: A continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiative: focusing on primary nurse accountability.
abstract: In a primary nursing model of care, nurses coordinate a multidisciplinary patient care team and identify complex patient needs. Because there is a high degree of responsibility and autonomy required of primary nurses, there is a need to adequately prepare and educate nurses in order that they become comfortable in this role and improve patient outcomes. The Quality Management Team of St. Michael's Hospital identified the need to replace the "Primary Nurse Monthly Check List," as it was task oriented and lacked focus. The team developed the Primary Nurse Monthly Summary form (see Figure 1), which incorporates quality indicators and desired patient outcomes into monthly assessments. This form serves both as an educational tool for primary nurses and a patient assessment guide, providing a frame of reference in identifying problems and evaluating patient interventions in order to provide care that is both holistic and meets standards of practice.
authors.affiliation: Dialysis Clinics, Inc., Sacramento, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Margarita P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ilumin
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D016294:Models, Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011321:Primary Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards*