Measuring the contribution of nursing to quality, patient safety, and health care outcomes.

In 2004, the National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsed a set of voluntary consensus standards for nursing-sensitive care that quantifies nursing's contribution to patient safety, health care outcomes, and a professional work environment. Since endorsement, these consensus standards have been the basis for research, quality improvement, and policy setting. This article provides a summary of NQF's consensus development process and various efforts that have cascaded from the endorsement of these consensus standards.