Nurse researchers call for nurse-sensitive outcome measures

University of Pennsylvania nurse researchers say current healthcare metrics ─ such as hospital-acquired infections or pressure injuries ─ evaluate nursing primarily by the absence of patient harm, forcing a defensive economic case for nursing investments and overlooking their critical role in early intervention and preventing clinical deterioration. Writing in JAMA Internal Medicine, they urge health systems, payers and credentialing bodies to adopt nurse-sensitive measures to capture better the true value of acute and critical care nursing. Such metrics should include surveillance, symptom management and care coordination. The authors suggest adopting the American Academy of Nursing’s Expert Panel on Acute and Critical Care’s nine core practice domains. They call on physicians to partner in reforming healthcare quality evaluation. (Newswise news release, 10/19/26)