Measuring the dose of nursing intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To increase awareness of the many issues involved in measuring the dose of nursing intervention in nursing interventions effectiveness research.


METHODS
Identify critical issues in measurement of the dose of nursing intervention and discuss decisions regarding dosage measurement made in a study of the effectiveness of nursing interventions.


RESULTS
A single method can be applied to resolve two critical issues in intervention dosage measurement.


CONCLUSIONS
Those conducting nursing interventions effectiveness research must think explicitly about how intervention dosage will be measured and reported so that dosage can be replicated in research and practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Measuring and reporting the dose of nursing intervention in research is essential to the development of an evidence base adequate to support practice.
Reed
David
D
Office for Nursing Research, University of Iowa College of Nursing, Iowa City, IA, USA. david-reed@uiowa.edu
Titler
Marita G
MG
Dochterman
Joanne M
JM
Shever
Leah L
LL
Kanak
Mary
M
Picone
Debra M
DM
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012107:Research Design; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data