Nursing Quality and Research

The Nursing Quality and Research Department (NQ&R) of UNC Hospitals was created in 2013 to provide an infrastructure that supports new knowledge and quality improvement activities and empowers nurses at all levels to investigate clinical questions, advance nursing science and evaluate evidence to inform their practice.

Unlike any other time in the past, nurses at all levels are now called upon to practice according to evidence, and to make decisions based upon the existing science, the generation of new research findings, the evaluation of internal evidence such as quality indicators and performance improvement initiatives, and in consideration of patient and family preferences and beliefs.

The NQ&R department offers programs and services to support nurses at all levels; from new nurses beginning their professional practice, to experienced frontline nurses who lead shared governance councils; and including nurse managers, educators, Advanced Practice Nurses and other leaders who facilitate knowledge translation within UNC Hospitals.

Our Vision

To lead nursing quality and research at UNC Hospitals through collaboration, innovation and translation.

Our Mission

• Improve patient outcomes and promote patient safety at UNCH through nursing performance improvement.
• Conduct, translate and disseminate nursing research at UNCH.
• Visually illustrate concepts and solutions for nursing staff communications.
• Provide research and quality improvement guidance and support to all UNCH nurses and our academic and interprofessional colleagues in the delivery of an evidence-based practice.
• Demonstrate integration of the components of the ANCC Magnet Model reflected in nursing and organizational excellence.