The impact of implementing person-centred nursing key performance indicators on the experience of care: a research evaluation

Abstract

Background and aim: This study reports the outcomes from an international study that implemented a set of person-centred nursing key performance indicators across a range of services provided to sick children. It aims to explore the factors that influenced the successful implementation of those indicators, and assess the impact of the evidence generated on person-centred practice across the children’s services. Methods: Twelve organisations across Australia and Europe participated, with data collected in 2015 and 2016 and analysed using thematic analysis. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with staff, including executive sponsors, managers, facilitators and clinical nursing teams. The COREQ guidelines were considered in the conduct and reporting of this study. Results: The results describe the impact of implementing the key performance indicators from the perspective of nurses operating at different levels within organisations. The following six themes became apparent: credibility of the key performance indicators; uncovering the whole picture; embracing nursing; engaging in the process; connecting with others; and achieving healthful outcomes. Conclusion: The findings from this study confirm an emerging relationship between the nature of evidence generated by the person-centred nursing key performance indicators and its use in practice. Also highlighted was the importance of facilitation in the process of data collection and in understanding the data and the context in which it is used. Implications for practice: This study will be of interest to clinical nurses, educators, managers and facilitators of cultural change. The data generated through the implementation of the person-centred nursing key performance indicators evidences the global contribution of nursing across services provided to children and their families Engaging staff at all levels in an organisation enhances implementation of evidence that is meaningful for nursing practice The triangulated evidence generated by the key performance indicators and accompanying measurement tools offers feedback that can drive improvements in nursing practice

The experience of staff utilizing data to evaluate and improve person‐centred practice: An action research study

“…Staff in this study reported that having data about their practice sparked (and for some re‐ignited) a desire to deliver (or continue to deliver) and improve person‐centred practice. This is congruent with studies reported by McCance et al (2015), McCance, Dickson, et al (2020) and Wilson et al (2021). The data also held strong relevance to practice as it was collected by the staff and service users at the micro level of care with the intention to evaluate and inform person‐centred practice.…”

“…This indicates it is not simply quantity of data that leads to change. The results of this study and others demonstrate that it is the nature of the evidence generated and the process in which it is understood that enhances knowledge translation and action on research in healthcare (Rycroft-Malone et al, 2004;Wilson et al, 2021).…”

“…These KPIs and accompanying measurement framework were developed and tested internationally across a range of specialities (Lynch & McCance, 2022;McCance et al, 2012, 2015, McCance, Dickson, et al, 2020Wilson et al, 2021). The measurement framework includes qualitative and quantitative data.…”

“…A number of tools have been developed to measure nursing practice, but very few capture the contribution of nursing in relation to the patient experience and person‐centredness (Gray et al, 2021; Wilson et al, 2021). One response to this identified gap was the development of eight person‐centred nursing key performance indicators (KPIs) (see Table 1) by McCance et al (2012).…”

“…The results of these implementation studies confirmed the capacity of the KPIs to measure the contribution of nursing, generating data that were different from traditional metrics utilized in practice and the effectiveness of the app. They also demonstrated that these data can be used not only to evaluate nursing practice, but inform person‐centred change (Radbron et al, 2021; Wilson et al, 2021).…”