Post a description of one existing source of data you found with variables related to a patient quality and safety problem in your practice. Locate the data posted for your agency/facility. If you are unable to find this information for your agency, locate a national database that can be accessed by health professionals, e.g.,
Medicare Hospital Compare. (Data are also available for home health and nursing homes.) Include the citation and the link to use for web access.
Identify three variables found in the database that are important in better understanding a patient safety problem.
Explain how you would interpret the results and how they might help improve nursing practice and patient outcomes.
Explain how data is used in your own agency, including nursing involvement in the process.