Determining Factors That Influence Nurses' Perceptions of Quality Implementations Conducted in Hospitals in Turkey

Background Quality management program implementations in health services are team endeavors that involve all health service personnel. Because they are direct providers of care, nurses are best able to evaluate the influence of quality management program implementations on the health services and quality of care provided by hospitals. Purpose The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to determine how nurses perceive the implementation of quality management programs in hospitals. Furthermore, the nurses' perceptions of the influence of these implementations on the quality of patient care and their job satisfaction were examined. Methods A descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a convenience sample (N = 388) of practicing nurses working at public and university hospitals where quality management programs were implemented. Nurses' perceptions of the implementations were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, whereas the influence of nurses' perceptions of quality management implementations on patient care and job satisfaction was measured using structural equation modeling approaches. Results This study revealed that the instrument is valid and reliable for the measurement of participant perceptions of quality management program implementations. Nurses' perceptions were generally negative, and they exhibited negative attitudes toward the implementation of quality management in the institutions where they work. However, the quality management program implementations had little influence on perceptions of the quality of patient care. Participant job satisfaction was lower than average, and the quality management program implementations conducted in the hospitals negatively affected job satisfaction. On the other hand, participants who worked at university hospitals perceived quality management program implementations more affirmatively; patient care quality and job satisfaction were viewed more positively as well. Conclusions/Implications for Practice Because nurses do not participate effectively in quality management program implementations, they perceive these efforts as unnecessary and the responsibility of the quality control department. It is very important to ensure that all care-service providers participate to effectively implement quality management programs in hospitals and to encourage the adoption of a culture of patient safety in all institutions