ISO 9001:2000 - A support for professional nursing practice

What's all the buzz about ISO? What is ISO, and how could “manufacturing” standards possibly apply to health care, much less nursing?The International Organization of Standardization's (ISO) 9001:2000 Quality Management System provides structure to support quality nursing care. The key word is “structure”, a framework for the provision of quality nursing care. Should an organization choose to adopt this system or choose an accreditation body that requires it, this is a workable system for nursing. However, nursing would not adopt this as a stand-alone initiative. This article will introduce the ISO 9001:2000 Standards and give examples of how this management system can support the nursing process to its ultimate goal of positive outcomes for patients.