Abstract
Background: Access to both valid and reliable nursing-sensitive indicators is currently limited in primary care.
Purpose: The objectives were to (1) measure primary care nursing indicators using a wound care tracer condition and (2) study the associations between process and outcome indicators.
Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study in an ambulatory care clinic in Quebec, Canada. The sample included 482 episodes of care. We studied 5 indicators related to processes and 3 to outcomes.
Results: Performance levels were moderately high for indicators of initial assessment and duration and low for those of continuity and education. Associations between nursing follow-up and continuity indicators and 3 outcome indicators were highly significant.
Conclusion: Continuity and nursing follow-up are associated with improved outcomes. Increasing these indicators' performance level can improve both nursing processes and patient outcomes.