Quality Assurance in Nursing : Concepts, Methods and Case Studies

The wide-ranging changes currently taking place in health care provision have resulted in an increased awareness of the concepts, methods and application of quality assurance. This book deals with all of these aspects of the topic, and will have particular relevance for those involved in the delivery of health care, including practising nurses, managers and students at both diploma and undergraduate level.
The first part of the book deals with the concept of quality in nursing and with methods of evaluating, improving and assuring quality. The approach is unit-based and practitioner-led, and the learning outcomes and study activities given in the text can be used to stimulate reflection and discussion when the book is used in a teaching situation.
The second part illustrates the methods in practical use through a series of factual experiences. These examples show how groups can evaluate nursing practice by using a dynamic approach, setting standards and evaluating criteria. They are included here to demonstrate how programmes of quality assurance can be applied to everyday working situations.