Identifying and validating the components of nursing practice models for long-term care facilities

Nursing practice models (NPMs) provide the framework for the design and delivery of nursing care to residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities and characterize the manner in which nursing staff assemble to accomplish clinical goals. The purpose of this study was to identify and validate the distinctive components of NPMs in LTC facilities and develop an instrument to describe and evaluate NPMs in such settings. The study included validation of the NPM components through a literature review and focus groups with nursing staff from LTC facilities; development and modification of the Nursing Practice Model Questionnaire (NPMQ); and examination of the validity and reliability of the NPMQ through pilot testing in 15 LTC facilities with 508 nursing staff. Five factors-decision making, informal continuity of information, formal continuity of information, continuity of care, and accountability-comprise the five subscales of the NPMQ, a 37-item questionnaire with established respectable validity and reliability.