Improving quality care through a nursing review team

This project was organised in response to nursing teams experiencing sustained pressure, reflected by increased staff sickness, escalating complaints and emerging themes in clinical incident reports. A framework was developed to provide a structure that would enable a team of senior nurses to review nursing practice in any clinical speciality within the acute Trust. The aim was to highlight and report on areas of good practice, identifying and making recommendations in areas for improvement. The review process involved gathering information that helped to form a triangle of evidence. Interviews were conducted with the multi‐disciplinary team in order to provide evidence. There has been evidence of improved morale at ward level that can be attributed to changes in practice and improved resource allocation. There is clear evidence of changes at service level enabling a more seamless system of care delivery. The framework and methodology developed for this review process can be adopted to make an initial assessment of nursing care within the clinical area.