title: Understanding quality patient care and the role of the practicing nurse.
abstract: Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient care. The authors provide the front-line nurse providers with an overview of critical concepts related to quality management of patient care. A historical approach provides the reader with an overview of the trajectory or the quality in health care movement. Furthermore, the article provides the nurse with a basic understanding of national and international organizations that focus on quality patient care. A brief introduction of measures of quality care is presented as well as implications for nursing practice.
authors: Loewenberg School of Nursing, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
authors: Laura D
authors: LD
authors: Owens
authors: The West Cancer Center, Memphis, TN 38120, USA. Electronic address: rkoch@WESTCLINIC.com.
authors: Robert W
authors: RW
authors: Koch
mesh_terms: D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends*; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States
keywords: Affordable Care Act; Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health care quality; Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI); National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI); The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)