Giving voice to the vulnerable: the development of a CAHPS nursing home survey measuring family members' experiences.

Background: To complement a nursing home resident survey, the team developed a survey asking family members about their experiences with nursing homes. Although a family member does not receive care directly from a nursing home, their experiences at the nursing home and with staff can contribute to understanding nursing home quality.

Objectives: To describe how the nursing home family member instrument was developed, refined, tested, and finalized.