Nursing sensitive databases: their existence, challenges, and importance.

The National Quality Forum uses the term "nurse-sensitive" care to describe health care quality that is influenced by nursing. Identifying this type of care requires useful data and development of measures. Establishing a case for nursing-sensitive performance measurement will facilitate a supportive climate for research and measure development. Interdisciplinary investigations will result in more adequate measures and wider acceptance of the measures in the provider community. This article summarizes existing data sources and recommendations for improving measures, data collection, and research on nurse-sensitive care.