Factors involved in the delivery of nursing care

Abstract

Objective: To identify the main factors involved in the delivery of nursing care, aiming at the development of items for an instrument. Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted with four sessions of focus groups involving 20 clinical nurses. The guiding questions included perceptions and experiences of nurses on the quality (high or poor) of care delivered during their work shift. The statements were studied using thematic content analysis, based on the reference of the complex adaptive system. Results: Four thematic categories emerged: (1) planning, intervention and evaluation of care; (2) design and qualification of the nursing staff; (3) resources to perform health care; and (4) multi-professional interaction. Those aspects involved in the production of care were characterized as systemic, multifactorial and related primarily to inadequate human resources, work conditions and organization. Conclusions: The factors involved in the delivery of nursing care were identified for the development of items for an instrument, and show the potential to guide nurses and assist management decisions.