ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the notion of caring and looks at ways in which nurses' can improve the quality of the care they give. Standards of care can be measured and quality can be maintained through activities such as benchmarking. The chapter looks at National Service Framework in more detail because it highlights the importance of providing good-quality evidence-based fundamental and essential care. Quality of care is monitored in health through audit, clinical governance and reflective practice. The chapter also looks at clinical practice benchmarking and how it can be used by practitioners to improve the quality of the care they provide to their patients. In order to ensure that care is of the highest quality, it is essential that health and social care practitioners use strategies such as reflective practice to assess and review the care they give and to take part in clinical practice benchmarking and clinical supervision.
