AIM: To identify and describe nursing-sensitive indicators in Danish clinical quality databases and to examine the association between nurse representation on database steering committees and the presence of indicators related to aspects of fundamental care.
DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. The STROBE checklist was employed to ensure reporting quality.
METHODS: We reviewed data from the latest annual report of 71 clinical quality databases in April 2021. Aspects of fundamental care were defined as the 12 nursing domains defined in the Danish Minimum Nursing Data framework. For each database, we recorded the number and type of indicators and identified indicators measuring fundamental care aspects. We used the prevalence ratio to estimate the likelihood of indicators related to aspects of fundamental care in databases with nurse representation on the steering committee.
RESULTS: One-third of the databases included indicators related to aspects of fundamental care. The most common aspects were Respiration and circulation, Nutrition and Psychosocial conditions, whereas Skin and mucous membranes, Elimination and Pain were rarely measured. Nurse representation on the steering committee of a quality database increased the likelihood of having indicators related to aspects of fundamental care three-fold (prevalence ratio 3.25).
CONCLUSION: Fundamental care was rarely monitored in Danish clinical quality databases, but databases with nurse representation on the steering committee had a higher likelihood of monitoring fundamental care.
IMPACT: This study addressed the knowledge gap of how fundamental nursing care is measured in clinical quality databases. It introduces nurses to the measurement of fundamental care as a first step toward performing nursing intervention studies and investigating associations with patient outcomes. The increased likelihood of fundamental care monitoring in clinical databases with nurse representation on the steering committee indicates a feasible way for decision makers and nurse leaders to ensure a stronger focus on fundamental care to the patients' benefit.