The ND NQI helps healthcare facilities by enabling comparisons of:

• A. Patient financial data across facilities.
• B. Pharmacy inventories across departments.
• C. Physician-to-nurse ratios across hospitals.
• D. Nursing quality indicators across institutions.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is benchmarking nursing care across hospitals using standardized nursing-sensitive indicators. The ND NQI is designed to collect and compare data on how nursing care translates into patient outcomes and care processes across institutions. By examining these nursing-quality indicators—things like rates of hospital-acquired conditions, patient falls, and other outcomes closely tied to nursing care—facilities can see how they stack up against peer hospitals and identify areas for improvement. This focus helps hospitals optimize staffing decisions, care protocols, and patient safety initiatives.

Options about patient financial data or pharmacy inventories aren’t what the ND NQI tracks, and while staffing levels matter, the database emphasizes nursing-quality indicators across institutions rather than just ratios. The strength lies in comparing nursing-related outcomes and processes across facilities to drive quality improvement.