Improving Quality of Care Through Systems Research: A Guide for Managers and Practitioners

Nursing systems research is a dynamic blend of analyzing workplace conditions, organizational culture, and quality outcomes. Concepts such as leadership, front-line worker decision making, empowerment, and communication are now more effectively measured, setting the stage for more detailed organizational analysis in nursing homes. The advent of large data sets such as the Minimum Data Set has advanced the abilities of managers, practitioners, and clinicians to better evaluate quality outcomes for residents. Combining research on organizational characteristics with the quality outcomes measured in large data sets, provides exciting new ways to understand factors that drive resident health outcomes. Managers working in long-term care must often take a systems approach to problem solving. Nursing systems research can help inform leaders about aspects of the organization that most affect quality. Increased knowledge about systems issues will assist administrators, directors of nursing, and other leaders in nursing homes with their tactical problem solving on a day-to-day basis.