Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The quality of care nurses provide to patients is done with the expectation that skills and knowledge of each registered nurse will result in quality patient care. Compliance statistics for quality indicators (level of service indicators) or (LSI’s) in the tertiary health care institution in Saudi Arabia varies, raising the following questions: “Do nurses understand the importance of quality indicators in clinical nursing and do they know how to use them to improve patient care?” No studies done on registered nurses’ knowledge and opinions of quality indicators could be found thus indicate the necessity of a research study to determinine the knowledge and opinions of registered nurses on quality indicators in clinical nursing in the tertiary healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. This is the focus of this research. The objectives of the study were: - To determine the current knowledge and opinions of the professional nurses regarding quality indicators in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia - To identify the factors that influence identification of quality indicators in clinical nursing - To identify the need for a training program regarding nurse sensitive quality indicators Data was collected through a questionnaire handed to more than 200 nurses working in general wards and intensive care areas in a single Saudi Arabian hospital. Participants were selected through a randomised list. The registered nurses who have participated in the pilot study’s responses were excluded from the final data analysis. No patients were included or involved in the study. A descriptive design with a quantitative approach was applied to investigate the professional nurses’ knowledge and opinions on quality indicators (level of service indicators) or (LSI’s) in clinical nursing in Saudi Arabia. Research data suggests that the knowledge and opinions of registered nurses in the tertiary health care institution in Saudi Arabia are not supporting the expectations of quality assurance in clinical nursing. Registered nurses have strong opinions of quality indicators in clinical nursing but do not have the knowledge to support those opinions. Improving initial and recurring training on quality indicators provided to nursing staff with diverse backgrounds and high turnover was recommended as an essential component in using quality indicators to drive improvements in patient care. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kwaliteit verpleegsorg wat verpleegkundiges op ‘n daaglikse basis aan kliente bied gaan gepaard met die verwagting dat hulle oor die kennis en bevoegtheid moet beskik om kwaliteit verpleegsorg aan te wend wat ‘n langdurige positiewe uitkoms met verwysing na pasientsorg kan bied. Die kwaliteits aanwyser statistieke in die tersiere gesondheidsorg sisteem verskil maandeliks en het die navorser geinspireer om ‘n studie te doen om te bepaal of geregistreerde verpleegkundiges verstaan wat die belangrikheid van kwaliteits aanwysers is en of hulle die kennis het oor die gebruik daarvan, in watter opsigte dit gebruik kan word en wat die voordele inhou wanneer kennis en applikasie daarvan vir kliniese verpleging toegepas word. Literatuur met betrekking tot vorige studies omtrent kennis en opinies van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges tot kwaliteits aanwysers in kliniese verpleeging kon nie deur die navorser gevind word wat gebruik kon word as agtergrond of ondersteuning tot die studie nie. Die fokus van die navorsings studie was om geregistreerde verpleegkundiges se kennis en opinies te bepaal met betrekking tot kwaliteits aanwysers in kliniese verpleging in die tersiere gesondheidsorg sisteem in Saudi Arabie. Die doelwitte van die studie was om: - Die huidige kennis en opinies van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges met betrekking tot kwaliteits aanwysers in die tersiere gesondheidsorg sisteem in Saudi Arabie te bepaal - Om faktore wat ‘n invloed op identifikasie van kwaliteits aanwysers het te identifiseer - Om die nodigheid van ‘n opleidings program met betrekking tot kwaliteits aanwysers te bepaal Die data van die studie was ingesamel deur middel van ‘n vraelys wat aan die geregistreerde verpleegkundiges meesal werksaam is in algemene sale of intensiewe sorgeenhede. Deelnemers was gekies deur middel van ‘n alternatiewe lys. Die deelnemers aan die loots studie was ge-ellimineer van die finale data analise. Geen pasiente was betrokke by die studie nie. ‘n Beskrywende ontwerp met ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering was toegepas om geregistreerde verpleegkundiges se kennis en opinies omtrent kwaliteits aanwysers in kliniese verpleging in die tersiere gesondheidsorg sisteem in Saudi Arabie te toets. Die navorsing het bewys dat die kennis en opinies van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges in die tersiere gesondheidsorg sisteem in Saudi Arabie nie op ‘n aanvaarbare standard kan geklassifiseer word nie asook nie die nodige kwaliteits versekering in kliniese verpleging ondersteun nie. Die studie bewys dat geregistreerde verpleegkundiges beskik oor genoegsame opinies omtrent kwaliteitaanwysers maar nie noodwendig oor die kennis om hulle opinies daaroor te ondersteun nie. Die studie is ook uitkoms gebaseerd omtrent die nodigheid van ‘n opleidings program met betrekking tot kwaliteits versekering in kliniese verpleegkunde te implimenteer, insluitend die vakgebied van kwaliteits aanwysers in kliniese verpleeging.