A PILOT PROJECT ON QUALITY ASSURANCE IN NURSING CARE IN THE STATE OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, FEDERAL REPUBLIC

As a direct result of the law passed in Germany requiring the practice of quality assurance in health care which has been in effect since 1 January 1989, the Institute for Health Systems Research in Kiel piloted a project on quality assurance in medicine in 12 hospitals in Schleswig-Holstein from September 1989 to February 1991. Two procedures for measuring the quality of nursing care were also developed in two of these hospitals. These procedures were oral care aided by nursing staff and oral care carried out by nursing staff. The pilot project was then evaluated by the Institute. An extension of the medical side of the project to cover all 80 hospitals in Schleswig-Holstein was planned to begin on 1 January 1992. As far as the nursing side is concerned, approximately 10 procedures will be developed and tested in eight hospitals. Key words: Quality assurance, nursing, Germany, pilot project in hospitals