Organizational quality indicators can fall into several different categories. There are prevention quality indicators, inpatient quality indicators, patient safety indicators, and pediatric quality indicators. “Quality indicators are standardized, evidence-based measures of health care quality that can be used with readily available hospital inpatient administrative data to measure and track clinical performance and outcomes”. Quality indicators can highlight potential areas for improvement and can also be used to track results from any changes that were implemented. The AHRQ has multiple tools for health care organizations to identify areas for potential improvements.
Empowering Staff
One way staff may feel empowered is through shared governance or similar unit-based committees that have authority to make unit-based decisions. Nurses can feel empowered by participating in the decisions that are made concerning their work environment. “Empowered nurses foster better health outcomes for patients”. Nurses who have high self-esteem and are engaged in work often feel empowered. Environments in which effective communication occurs along with good management help the staff on that unit to feel empowered. Empowering staff provides control over the decisions and the environment in which staff members work.