Standardized ET nursing database: Imagine the possibilities

Abstract A national database of the components of ET nursing practice currently does not currently exist. Justification for ET nurse services requires hard data that demonstrate quality and cost-effectiveness of care. Lacking hard data, the value of the services provided by ET nurses remains difficult to quantify. The Nursing Minimum Data Set is the first step in building a nursing database. The purpose of this article is to familiarize ET nurses with the concepts of nursing information systems, the Nursing Minimum Data Set, and classification systems. Implications for ET nursing practice are also presented.