International council on evidence-based nursing care meets in Toronto

TORONTO, April 21, 2015 /CNW/ - Experts in health data systems are gathering in Toronto to discuss how evidence-based nursing is improving health across the globe, as part of the Nursing Quality Indicators for Reporting and Evaluation® (NQuIRE®)International Advisory Council (IAC).

The IAC is meeting for two days from April 20-21 to provide advice for NQuIRE, a data system launched in 2012 by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) to measure the impact of the association's internationally acclaimed best practice guidelines (BPG).

"NQuIRE provides very powerful data which is needed to validate that quality nursing care is being provided, and to optimize patient, organizational and health system outcomes," says RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun.

The council – composed of experts in performance measurement, health informatics, and knowledge translation – meets twice annually to discuss current data system performance and advise on future applications of NQuIRE. Council members include representatives from Health Quality Ontario (HQO), McMaster Health Forum, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Accreditation Canada, the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses (ACEN), Canada Health Infoway (CHI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and representatives from academic institutions and BPSOs from around the world.

RNAO's BPGs are clinical and educational resources outlining evidence-based best practices for nurses and other health providers to optimize patient care and outcomes. The impact of these guidelines can be seen around the world through RNAO's 92 Best Practice Spotlight Organizations^® (BPSO^®) representing more than 450 health organizations on five continents. BPSOs sign formal agreements with RNAO to implement and evaluate BPGs, and their outcomes are collected in the NQuIRE data system, which is now amassing important data from health and academic sites in Canada, Australia, Chile, Colombia, and Spain.

"Data collected around the world through NQuIRE are building a knowledge base that will ensure citizens of these countries consistently receive the highest quality care that nurses can provide," says Dr. Teresa Moreno, IAC member and director at Unidad de Investigación en Cuidados de Salud (Investén-isciii), a BPSO Host in Spain.

Dr. Judith Shamian, president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and chair of RNAO's IAC, says it's important that governments and health organizations recognize how evidence-based nursing practice is improving outcomes for patients, organizations, and health systems as a whole.

"I call on the international health-care community to scale up the use of evidence-based practice to benefit the people they serve," Shamian says. "With its growing BPSO program and NQuIRE data system, RNAO is positioned to lead a global shift toward evidence-based health care."

The IAC recommends that all patient orders given by health professionals be informed by evidence. RNAO's nursing order sets are a good example of that, adds Shamian. The council also recommends that RNAO leads an interprofessional summit of experts to build a shared framework to advance practice optimization.  

This year marks the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario's (RNAO) 90th anniversary. RNAO is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve. For more information about RNAO, visit our website at RNAO.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

RNAO's Best Practice Guidelines Program is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and was launched in 1999 to provide the best available evidence for patient care across a wide range of health-care settings. The 51 guidelines developed to date are a substantial contribution towards building excellence in Ontario's health system. They are available to all health professionals in Canada and abroad. To learn more about RNAO's Nursing Best Practice Guidelines Program or to view these resources, please visit www.RNAO.ca/bpg

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Marion Zych, Director of Communications, RNAO, Cell: 647-406-5605, Phone: [phone], [email protected]; Daniel Punch, Communications Officer/Writer, RNAO, 416-408-5606, [email protected]