Four elements of a successful quality program. Alignment, collaboration, evidence-based practice, and excellence.

The nurse's role in quality improvement and assurance is well established, but this is particularly true as hospitals engage in a culture of patient safety and view quality-related activities as important "safety checks." The role of the nurse in ensuring quality related to patient care and safety cannot be overstated. The achievement of quality and safety in patient care is the result of caregivers doing the right thing the right way the first time.