National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Burnout (3)
- Cancer (1)
- Children/Adolescents (1)
- Chronic Conditions (2)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Communication (2)
- COVID-19 (3)
- Critical Care (1)
- Education: Academic (1)
- Elderly (1)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Emergency Preparedness (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (3)
- Home Healthcare (1)
- Hospital Discharge (1)
- Hospitals (2)
- Implementation (1)
- Inpatient Care (1)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (1)
- Long-Term Care (1)
- Medicare (1)
- Medication (1)
- Medication: Safety (1)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (1)
- Newborns/Infants (1)
- Nursing (5)
- Nursing Homes (2)
- Opioids (1)
- Organizational Change (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
- Patient Safety (3)
- Practice Improvement (1)
- Practice Patterns (2)
- Pressure Ulcers (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Primary Care (3)
- Primary Care: Models of Care (1)
- Provider (15)
- Provider: Clinician (4)
- Provider: Health Personnel (1)
- (-) Provider: Nurse (19)
- Provider: Physician (6)
- Provider: Physician Assistant (1)
- Provider Performance (1)
- Public Health (1)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Skin Conditions (1)
- Stress (1)
- Surgery (1)
- Surveys on Patient Safety Culture (1)
- Teams (2)
- Training (1)
- Treatments (1)
- Workforce (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 19 of 19 Research Studies DisplayedO'Leary KJ, Manojlovich M, Johnson JK
A multisite study of interprofessional teamwork and collaboration on general medical services.
This multisite study of four mid-sized hospitals measured teamwork climate of nurses, nurse assistants, and physicians working on general medical services. Teamwork climate scores for 380 participants (80 hospitalists, 13 resident physicians, 193 nurses, and 94 nurses) were measured using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Hospitalists had the highest median teamwork climate score and nurses had the lowest, but it was not a statistically significant difference. A higher percentage of hospitalists (63.3%) rated the quality of collaboration with nurses as high or very high, but only 48.7% of nurses rated the collaboration with hospitalists as high or very high. There were significant differences in perceptions of teamwork climate across sites and across professional categories.
AHRQ-funded; HS025649.
Citation: O'Leary KJ, Manojlovich M, Johnson JK .
A multisite study of interprofessional teamwork and collaboration on general medical services.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2020 Dec;46(12):667-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2020.09.009..
Keywords: Teams, Hospitals, Patient Safety, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Physician, Provider: Nurse, Provider
Smith JG, Rogowski JA, Lake ET
Missed care relates to nurse job enjoyment and intention to leave in neonatal intensive care.
Being unable to provide required nursing care to infants could contribute to poorer neonatal nurse job outcomes, which may exacerbate staffing challenges. Little evidence exists about how missed nursing care relates to neonatal nurse job outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships among missed nursing care, job enjoyment and intention to leave for neonatal nurses.
AHRQ-funded; HS024918.
Citation: Smith JG, Rogowski JA, Lake ET .
Missed care relates to nurse job enjoyment and intention to leave in neonatal intensive care.
J Nurs Manag 2020 Nov;28(8):1940-47. doi: 10.1111/jonm.12943..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Provider: Nurse, Provider, Burnout, Nursing
Fraze TK, Briggs ADM, Whitcomb EK
Role of nurse practitioners in caring for patients with complex health needs.
The objective of this study was to estimate trends in the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries cared for by nurse practitioners from 2012 to 2017, to characterize beneficiaries cared for by nurse practitioners in 2017, and to examine how the percentage of beneficiaries cared for by nurse practitioners varies by practice characteristics. Findings showed that nurse practitioners are caring for Medicare beneficiaries with complex needs at rates that match or exceed their physician colleagues. The growing role of nurse practitioners, especially in health care systems, warrants attention as organizations embark on payment and delivery reform.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Fraze TK, Briggs ADM, Whitcomb EK .
Role of nurse practitioners in caring for patients with complex health needs.
Med Care 2020 Oct;58(10):853-60. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001364..
Keywords: Provider: Clinician, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Chronic Conditions, Primary Care, Medicare
Isbell LM, Boudreaux ED, Chimowitz H
What do emergency department physicians and nurses feel? A qualitative study of emotions, triggers, regulation strategies, and effects on patient care.
Despite calls to study how healthcare providers' emotions may impact patient safety, little research has addressed this topic. The current study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of emergency department (ED) providers' emotional experiences, including what triggers their emotions, the perceived effects of emotions on clinical decision making and patient care, and strategies providers use to manage their emotions to reduce patient safety risks.
AHRQ-funded; HS025752.
Citation: Isbell LM, Boudreaux ED, Chimowitz H .
What do emergency department physicians and nurses feel? A qualitative study of emotions, triggers, regulation strategies, and effects on patient care.
BMJ Qual Saf 2020 Oct;29(10):1-2. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2019-010179..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Physician, Patient Safety
Temkin-Greener H, Cen X, Li Y
Nursing home staff turnover and perceived patient safety culture: results from a national survey.
In this study, the investigators examined the association between turnover of registered nurses (RNs) and certified nurse assistants (CNAs) and perceived patient safety culture (PSC) in nursing homes (NHs). The investigators suggest that the effect of turnover on PSC depends on who leaves and to a lesser extent on the organizational characteristics. In NHs, improvements in PSC may depend on the ability to retain a well-trained and skilled nursing staff.
AHRQ-funded; HS024923.
Citation: Temkin-Greener H, Cen X, Li Y .
Nursing home staff turnover and perceived patient safety culture: results from a national survey.
Gerontologist 2020 Sep 15;60(7):1303-11. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnaa015..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Surveys on Patient Safety Culture, Patient Safety, Provider: Nurse, Provider
Bettencourt AP, Vance AJ, Jun J
Maximizing the academic nursing model in the era of COVID-19 and beyond.
This opinion paper revisits the 2016 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) position statement on academic nursing. In the age of COVID-19, the statement is reimagined as a means to maximize nursing’s contributions to this global health crises. The 2016 position statement discussed the potentials for nursing schools to work within healthcare systems beyond clinic training. Most academic nurses do not also provide clinical care which is limited by structural barriers that inhibit academic nursing transformation. Many academic nurses who also have a clinical practice have had to do so on their own time. This new vision would capitalize on nursing’s strength in population health. The authors urge nursing schools to transform their model of academic nursing.
AHRQ-funded; HS024552.
Citation: Bettencourt AP, Vance AJ, Jun J .
Maximizing the academic nursing model in the era of COVID-19 and beyond.
Nurs Outlook 2020 Sep-Oct;68(5):542-44. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2020.04.013..
Keywords: COVID-19, Nursing, Provider: Nurse, Public Health, Education: Academic
Lozada MJ, Raji MA, Goodwin JS
Opioid prescribing by primary care providers: a cross-sectional analysis of nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and physician prescribing patterns.
The purpose of this study was to identify prescription opioid over-prescribers by comparing prescribing patterns of primary care physicians (MDs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs). Participants were a national sample of 2015 Medicare Part D enrollees. Findings showed that most NPs/PAs prescribed opioids in a pattern similar to MDs, but NPs/PAs had more outliers who prescribed high-frequency, high-dose opioids than did MDs. Recommendations included efforts to reduce opioid overprescribing including targeted provider education, risk stratification, and state legislation.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642.
Citation: Lozada MJ, Raji MA, Goodwin JS .
Opioid prescribing by primary care providers: a cross-sectional analysis of nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and physician prescribing patterns.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Sep;35(9):2584-92. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-05823-0..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Primary Care, Practice Patterns, Medication: Safety, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Physician, Provider: Physician Assistant, Provider
Shechter A, Diaz F, Moise N
Psychological distress, coping behaviors, and preferences for support among New York healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mental health toll of COVID-19 on healthcare workers (HCW) is not yet fully described. In this study the authors, using a cross-sectional web survey, characterized distress, coping, and preferences for support among NYC HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They concluded that NYC HCWs, especially nurses and advanced practice providers, were experiencing COVID-19-related psychological distress.
AHRQ-funded; HS024262.
Citation: Shechter A, Diaz F, Moise N .
Psychological distress, coping behaviors, and preferences for support among New York healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2020 Sep-Oct;66:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.06.007..
Keywords: COVID-19, Stress, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Physician, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Health Personnel, Behavioral Health
Shuman CJ, Costa DK
Stepping in, stepping up, and stepping out: competencies for intensive care unit nursing leaders during disasters, emergencies, and outbreaks.
In this paper, the authors discuss competencies for intensive care unit nursing leaders during disasters, emergencies, and outbreaks. They draw on the recent example of COVID-19s substantially burdened intensive care units and nursing staff. Informed by extant literature, American Organization of Nurse Leaders--identified competencies, and expert opinion, the authors suggest 3 areas of focused skill development to ensure leaders, especially leaders in ICU settings, are prepared for future crises.
AHRQ-funded; HS024552.
Citation: Shuman CJ, Costa DK .
Stepping in, stepping up, and stepping out: competencies for intensive care unit nursing leaders during disasters, emergencies, and outbreaks.
Am J Crit Care 2020 Sep 1;29(5):403-06. doi: 10.4037/ajcc2020421..
Keywords: Critical Care, Provider: Nurse, Nursing, COVID-19, Emergency Preparedness
Womack DM, Hribar MR, Steege LM
Registered nurse strain detection using ambient data: an exploratory study of underutilized operational data streams in the hospital workplace.
Registered nurses (RNs) regularly adapt their work to ever-changing situations but routine adaptation transforms into RN strain when service demand exceeds staff capacity and patients are at risk of missed or delayed care. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of ambient workplace data, defined as time-stamped transaction records and log file data produced by non-electronic health record care delivery tools (e.g., nurse call systems, communication devices), as an information channel for automated sensing of RN strain.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: Womack DM, Hribar MR, Steege LM .
Registered nurse strain detection using ambient data: an exploratory study of underutilized operational data streams in the hospital workplace.
Appl Clin Inform 2020 Aug;11(4):598-605. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1715829..
Keywords: Provider: Nurse, Provider, Health Information Technology (HIT), Workforce, Burnout
Lafferty M, Fauer A, Wright N
Causes and consequences of chemotherapy delays in ambulatory oncology practices: a multisite qualitative study.
The purpose of this study was to examine the causes and consequences of chemotherapy treatment delays and possible solutions to improve quality of care. The authors identified four primary themes from the analysis that affect delays. They suggest future investigations to examine nurses' communication practices in the context of timely chemotherapy administration since communication and documentation technologies within healthcare settings continuously evolve.
AHRQ-funded; HS024914.
Citation: Lafferty M, Fauer A, Wright N .
Causes and consequences of chemotherapy delays in ambulatory oncology practices: a multisite qualitative study.
Oncol Nurs Forum 2020 Jul 1;47(4):417-27. doi: 10.1188/20.Onf.417-427..
Keywords: Treatments, Cancer, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Quality of Care, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Nursing, Chronic Conditions
Tubbs-Cooley HL, Riddle SW, Gold JM
Paediatric clinical and social concerns identified by home visit nurses in the immediate postdischarge period.
The purpose of this study was to describe paediatric postdischarge concerns manifesting in the first 96 hr after hospital discharge. The investigators analysed home visit records of 651 children (age <18) hospitalized at a large Midwestern children's hospital in 2015 and 2016 who were enrolled in the trial. Registered nurses documented concerns in structured fields and free-text notes in visit records. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize visit documentation. Free-text visit notes were reviewed and exemplars illustrative of quantitative findings were selected.
AHRQ-funded; HS024735.
Citation: Tubbs-Cooley HL, Riddle SW, Gold JM .
Paediatric clinical and social concerns identified by home visit nurses in the immediate postdischarge period.
J Adv Nurs 2020 Jun;76(6):1394-403. doi: 10.1111/jan.14341..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Home Healthcare, Hospital Discharge, Provider: Nurse, Provider
Yuan CT, Nembhard IM, Kane GC
The influence of peer beliefs on nurses' use of new health information technology: a social network analysis.
Implementation of health information technology fails at an alarming rate because intended users often choose not to use it. In this study, the investigators examined the relationship between an individual's system use and the beliefs of his or her peers. The investigators concluded that their findings indicated a significant role of social networks in implementation, and specifically that shared beliefs between an individual and his or her peer network may be critical to implementation success, more so than the beliefs across the entire peer group.
AHRQ-funded; HS022201.
Citation: Yuan CT, Nembhard IM, Kane GC .
The influence of peer beliefs on nurses' use of new health information technology: a social network analysis.
Soc Sci Med 2020 Jun;255:113002. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113002..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider: Nurse, Provider
Baernholdt M, Yan G, Hinton ID
Effect of preventive care interventions on pressure ulcer rates in a national sample of rural and urban nursing units: Longitudinal associations over 4 years.
This study looked at the effects of nursing care interventions aimed at preventing pressure ulcers in rural and urban hospitals over a 4-year period. This longitudinal study used unit-level data from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators 2010-2013. The authors analyzed 5761 units (332 rural and 5429 urban) in 772 hospitals (89 rural and 683 urban) that reported ulcer rates in two or more quarters. Outcomes from use of a three-care intervention combination was measured with decreases in pressure ulcers shown from any of those interventions (patients receiving skin assessment on admission, receiving risk assessment on admission, and receiving any risk assessment before the pressure ulcer). An increase in RN skill mix and two nurse outcomes (increase in job satisfaction and intent-to-stay) also led to decreases in ulcer rates.
AHRQ-funded; HS023147.
Citation: Baernholdt M, Yan G, Hinton ID .
Effect of preventive care interventions on pressure ulcer rates in a national sample of rural and urban nursing units: Longitudinal associations over 4 years.
Int J Nurs Stud 2020 May;105:103455. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103455..
Keywords: Pressure Ulcers, Prevention, Skin Conditions, Nursing, Practice Patterns, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality of Care
Wilson N, Jehn M, Kisana H
Nurses' perceptions of implant barcode scanning in surgical services.
Health policy changes have prompted hospital systems to assess implementation of implant barcode scanning systems to capture unique device identifiers. The aims of this project were to assess predictors of operating room nurses' acceptance of a new implant barcode scanning system, describe operating room nurses' perceptions of the system value, and identify operating room nurses' perceived gaps in system implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS022340.
Citation: Wilson N, Jehn M, Kisana H .
Nurses' perceptions of implant barcode scanning in surgical services.
Comput Inform Nurs 2020 Mar;38(3):131-38. doi: 10.1097/cin.0000000000000579..
Keywords: Provider: Nurse, Provider, Surgery, Health Information Technology (HIT)
White EM, Aiken LH, Sloane DM
Nursing home work environment, care quality, registered nurse burnout and job dissatisfaction.
The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between work environment, care quality, registered nurse (RN) burnout, and job dissatisfaction in nursing homes. In this study, the investigators linked 2015 RN4CAST-US nurse survey data with LTCfocus and Nursing Home Compare. They indicate that their results suggest that the work environment is an important area to target for interventions to improve care quality and nurse retention in nursing homes.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: White EM, Aiken LH, Sloane DM .
Nursing home work environment, care quality, registered nurse burnout and job dissatisfaction.
Geriatr Nurs 2020 Mar-Apr;41(2):158-64. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.08.007..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Burnout, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Quality of Care, Provider Performance
Manojlovich M, Harrod M, Hofer TP
Using qualitative methods to explore communication practices in the context of patient care rounds on general care units.
This study examined communication practices between nurses and physicians in general care units at 4 Midwestern hospitals. A total of 163 physicians, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners participated. The researchers observed and shadowed clinicians during rounds and other times during a 2 week period as well as conducting interviews and holding focus groups. Workflow differences affected rounds and subsequently communication practices. Good rapport between physicians and nurses contributed to nurse participation during rounds. Lower rapport made some nurses feel uncomfortable accompanying physicians during rounds unless invited.
AHRQ-funded; HS022305.
Citation: Manojlovich M, Harrod M, Hofer TP .
Using qualitative methods to explore communication practices in the context of patient care rounds on general care units.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Mar;35(3):839-45. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05580-9..
Keywords: Communication, Provider: Physician, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Hospitals, Teams, Inpatient Care, Healthcare Delivery
Boehm LM, Stolldorf DP, Jeffery AD
Implementation science training and resources for nurses and nurse scientists.
This study discusses the need for implementation science training for nurses and nurse scientists and to encourage training in implementation science for these professions. The differences between quality improvement and implementation science is described as well. Implementation science educational opportunities were reviewed internationally along with organizations and literature. The role of nurses and nurse scientists in translating evidence into routine practice was also examined.
AHRQ-funded; HS025486.
Citation: Boehm LM, Stolldorf DP, Jeffery AD .
Implementation science training and resources for nurses and nurse scientists.
J Nurs Scholarsh 2020 Jan;52(1):47-54. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12510..
Keywords: Provider: Nurse, Provider, Implementation, Training, Evidence-Based Practice
Bleser WK, Miller-Day M, Naughton D
Strategies for achieving whole-practice engagement and buy-in to the patient-centered medical home.
In this paper the authors describe strategies for obtaining organizational buy-in to and whole-staff engagement of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) transformation and practice improvement. The investigators suggest that their study provides a list of strategies useful for facilitating PCMH transformation in primary care. They assert that these strategies could be investigated empirically in future research, used to guide medical practices undergoing or considering PCMH transformation, and used to inform health care policy makers.
AHRQ-funded; HS019150.
Citation: Bleser WK, Miller-Day M, Naughton D .
Strategies for achieving whole-practice engagement and buy-in to the patient-centered medical home.
Ann Fam Med 2014 Jan-Feb;12(1):37-45. doi: 10.1370/afm.1564..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Organizational Change, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Physician, Provider: Clinician, Provider