Outcome evaluation in nursing in Australia, 1960-1980.

While empirical evaluation of the outcome of patient care has come to the fore in recent years due to political initiatives, there has always been a professional interest by nurses in the end result of their care. A review of the literature shows that outcome evaluation was advocated for nursing as early as the 1860s by Florence Nightingale. This article explores the evolvement of outcome evaluation within nursing in Australia, discussing its origins during the 1960s and 1970s. The measurement of patient outcomes is more relevant than ever before, with the recent drive for an evidence-based approach to nursing care.