Assessment and assurance of the quality of nursing care. A selected overview.

This article describes the historical development of quality assurance in nursing in the United States and its link with quality assurance efforts in other health disciplines. Explored are the creation and application of models, standards, criteria, and tools for measuring quality of care. Highlighted are recent empirical studies addressing structure, process, or outcome dimensions of nursing quality assurance. Emphasized is the use of empirical knowledge as a basis for political, organizational, and clinical decision-making to ensure an agreed-upon level of nursing care provided to the American public.