Measuring a veteran's quality of healthcare managed by a nurse practitioner in a VA facility using professional practice evaluation and core performance measures.

Abstract

Quality of care provided by nurse practitioners (NPs) has been measured for the last 40 years; however, no known program measuring quality of care in an NP practice on an ongoing basis was found in the published literature. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation of an ongoing professional practice evaluation (OPPE) program at a Veterans Health Administration facility. An evidence-based review was conducted to assess, evaluate, and report findings from outcomes research, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, and interventions regarding standards and oversight of NP practice in the following databases: PubMed, Google®, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Institute of Medicine, and ".gov" websites. NPs have established a reputation in the delivery of efficient, accessible, effective, and high-quality care. Researchers suggest episodic measurement of care. For NPs, an OPPE program provides oversight of quality of care, surveillance, education, and feedback while evaluating and validating an NP's quality of care on an ongoing basis. The OPPE program provides a prototype for measuring and improving NP practice nationally. In providing validation and transparency, it reassures administrators and the public that NP practice meets strenuous national standards.