Understanding Nursing Home Quality of Care

Abstract

Nursing home quality of care has been influenced by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987. This legislation mandated changes within the structure, process, and outcomes of care. These care elements are examined from the viewpoints of 32 licensed nurses and 40 nurse assistants. Accounts of good care, obtained through focus groups, are presented within the context of structure, process, and outcome to understand quality care. Implications about training nursing personnel are considered within the structure and the process of care and how these elements affect care outcomes.