A nurse administrator is at a meeting with nurses on the quality council. Several new members are sitting on the council. They ask the nurse administrator to clarify what a nursing-sensitive outcome is

Question

Which response by the nurse administrator best defines nursing-sensitive outcomes?
a. "Nursing-sensitive outcomes determine the patient's progress as a result of prescribed treatments, such as medications."
b. "Patient falls is an example of a nursing-sensitive outcome because they are directly affected by nursing interventions."
c. "Nursing-sensitive outcomes promote universal health care."
d. "We use nursing-sensitive outcomes at this hospital to evaluate nursing tasks and to determine safe staffing ratios."

Answer 1

ANS: B
A nursing-sensitive outcome is a measurable patient or family state, behavior, or perception that is largely influenced by and sensitive to nursing interventions. Patient falls is one nursing-sensitive outcome because they are a direct measure of nursing care. Because the prescriber determines prescribed treatments, the progress of the patient's condition as a result of prescribed treatments is not an evaluation of a nursing-sensitive outcome. Promotion of universal health care and determining staffing ratios are not components of nursing-sensitive outcomes.