A blueprint for change in acute and critical care nursing

A new articlepublished in Nursing Outlook proposes a significant shift in how nursing care is measured within acute and critical care settings. This "Blueprint for Action" seeks to revolutionize current methods by recognizing the full scope of a nurse's work and its profound impact on patient outcomes.

"The current measurement systems fail to capture the essence of what nurses truly do," explains lead-author Martha A.Q. Curley, a professor of Nursing in Penn Nursing's Department of Family and Community Health, and the Ruth M. Colket Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nursing at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "This blueprint outlines a new framework that acknowledges the diverse skillsets and contributions of nurses, ultimately leading to improved patient care delivery and outcomes."

The key components of the proposed blueprint include nine domains of practice, or nine core areas where nurses provide essential care, encompassing not just clinical expertise but also patient education, advocacy, and emotional support. It highlights the importance of a supportive hospital environment that empowers nurses to provide optimal patient care. Moving beyond a simple focus on preventing negative events, the proposal advocates for measuring positive outcomes directly linked to nursing interventions. The article also emphasizes the need for collaboration between stakeholders-nurses, researchers, policymakers, and healthcare systems-to develop and implement new outcome measures.

By highlighting the work of bedside nurses, this blueprint can potentially enhance patient outcomes and can lead to a more rewarding and fulfilling career path for nurses.

Read more at Penn Nursing News.