Feedback, the way forward?
Over the last decades, we have seen an explosion of quality measurement activity in healthcare. Worldwide, the most frequently used strategy for using quality measurements to improve the quality of care is feedback. This PhD research shows that it cannot be assumed that when nursing teams are provided with feedback on quality measurements, they automatically become motivated to adjust their behavior and consequently improve the quality of nursing care. The success of feedback on quality measurements, both in relation to quality improvement and in relation to nurses’ well-being, highly depends on how it is implemented (e.g. supporting team reflection after feedback) and the context (e.g. the feedback environment) in which it is implemented. By creating a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying feedback on quality measurements (e.g. the importance of perceptions), this thesis paves the way to more research on sustainable quality improvement strategies, that positively affect the quality of care while also serving healthcare professionals.