What Do Nurses Need to Know About the Quality Enterprise?

Significant and ongoing lapses in health care quality and safety, the growing number of uninsured and underinsured, and the economic crisis have ignited interest in health care reform. As the single largest group of health care professionals, nurses will be affected by and will have influence on these reforms. This article provides a primer on the administration's agenda, its historical context, and the way in which it is likely to affect nursing. It reviews current policy directions aimed at improving quality, driving consumer selection of health care providers, and holding providers accountable for the care delivered. Specifically, this article (1) reviews the fundamentals of transparency, accountability, financial incentives, and collaborative networks; (2) illustrates these policies with real-world examples; (3) provides a road map for nurses; and (4) offers recommendations for the role of continuing education. J Contin Educ Nurs 2010;41(6):246–256.