Identifying Nursing-Sensitive Indicators for Hospitals: A Modified Delphi Approach

Abstract

Background Nursing-sensitive indicators (NSIs) play a crucial role in measuring the quality of care specific to nursing practice. Currently, hospitals monitor several NSIs which may vary between hospitals. Conducting research on NSIs can enhance the monitoring of nursing practice. Aim The aim is to identify NSIs for hospitals in Jordan. Methods and material The Delphi approach was utilized to establish a consensus among a panel of national nursing experts (N=60). An initial list of 52 indicators was developed through a rigorous process and subsequently distributed to the panel members. The panelists provided their quantitative responses in three rounds. Consensus was determined based on the following criteria: agreement greater than 51.0%, interquartile range (IQR) below 1.5, standard deviation (SD) below 1, and moderate Kendall's coefficient of concordance (Kendall's W). Results By the conclusion of the third round, a total of 42 indicators achieved group agreement. The agreed-upon indicators consisted of 10 structure, 16 process, and 16 outcome indicators. Conclusion This study successfully established a consensus and identified a comprehensive set of indicators that capture the distinct contributions of nursing in the hospital setting. The results demonstrate a wide range of agreed-upon indicators across the domains of structure, process, and outcome. These findings are valuable in enhancing the monitoring and evaluation of nursing practice in hospitals. Practical implications The findings of this study provide a solid foundation for monitoring and reporting the quality of nursing practice in hospitals. Nursing policymakers can utilize these findings to develop policies that promote the voluntary reporting of NSIs.