Quality Improvement
"A direct correlation between the level of improved health services and the desired health outcomes of individuals and populations"
Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2002.
Evidence Based Practice
"A problem-solving approach to clinical decision making within a health-care organization that integrates the best available scientific evidence with the best available experiential (patient & practitioner) evidence. EBP considers internal and external influences on practice and encourages critical thinking in the judicious application of evidence to care of the individual patient, patient population, or system"
Newhouse et al, 2005, pages 3-4
Nursing Research
Research takes on many forms and there are numerous ways to get involved with research at VUMC, or to do your own research! Let our office know how we can help. Because VUMC entities are Magnet designated, we use the definition of research adopted by Magnet:
“Systematic inquiry that uses disciplined methods to answer questions or solve problems. The ultimate goal of research is to develop, refine and expand knowledge.”
Polit & Beck, 2012, 3