Clinical impact of whole-process high-quality nursing services in an infectious disease ward: A retrospective cohort study

This study evaluates whether whole-process high-quality nursing services (WP-HQNS) improve safety, efficiency, and patient experience in an infectious disease ward. A retrospective cohort of 1394 inpatients (WP-HQNS, n = 740; routine care, n = 654) admitted between June 2023 and February 2025 was analyzed. The primary outcome was hospital-acquired infection (HAI); the key secondary outcome was any nurse-sensitive adverse event (NSAE). Other endpoints included adverse-event profiles, length of stay, time to defervescence, readmission, mortality, and patient-experience indicators. Groups were comparable at baseline. WP-HQNS was associated with fewer HAIs (8.78% vs 13.15%; P = .009; risk ratio ≈ 0.67) and lower NSAE rates (10.95% vs 18.04%; P < .001). Hospitalization (-1.5 days) and time to defervescence (-0.7 days) were shorter (both P < .001). Readmission and mortality were numerically reduced. Patient satisfaction, discharge education, and 7-day follow-up completion were all higher under WP-HQNS (all P < .001). WP-HQNS reduced nosocomial risk and nursing-sensitive harm, improved recovery efficiency, and enhanced patient engagement. These findings support broader implementation and warrant prospective multicenter validation.