Nurse effectiveness open library

Welcome

The RNAO Nurse Effectiveness Library features a comprehensive collection of publications highlighting nurses’ impact on the Quintuple Aim. Explore evidence of nurses driving health system transformation and leading evidence-based change across sectors in Canada and globally.

Nurse effectiveness

Designed to inform research, policy and clinical practice, this library is the result of a comprehensive scoping review (2000–2025). Conducted in 2024–2025, the review assessed nurses’ global impact across settings and sectors, focusing on contributions to health equity, patient experience, provider satisfaction, value of care, and population health, collectively known as the Quintuple Aim. 

Findings informed the creation of the Nurse Effectiveness Open Library, a resource that currently shares data on Nurse Practitioners and will soon expand to include other nursing roles.  Coming Soon: Registered nurses, registered practical nurses/licensed practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse anesthetists. This library provides accessible evidence to inform decision‑making and strengthen health system performance. RNAO will continue to review and update this project on a two-year cycle to reflect the latest evidence and ensure its continued relevance and impact.

Contribute to the Nurse Effectiveness Library   Contact us

Background & history

This project builds on RNAO’s earlier work showcasing 70 years of nurse effectiveness across clinical outcomes, organizational performance and financial results.

Learn more

References for registered nurse effectiveness are coming soon.

2005
Nurse practitioner's knee injection clinics in the UK: the patient's perception.
Publication: Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing
Author/s:
DOI: 10.1016/j.joon.2005.07.010
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
URL: https://uhn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cul&AN=106373455&site=ehost-live&scope=site
2005
Nursing effectiveness: an evaluation of patient satisfaction with a nurse led orthopaedic joint replacement review clinic.
Publication: Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing
Author/s:
DOI: 10.1016/j.joon.2005.06.002
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
URL: https://uhn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cul&AN=106373464&site=ehost-live&scope=site
2005
Outcomes of care managed by an acute care nurse practitioner/attending physician team in a subacute medical intensive care unit.
Publication: American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Author/s: Leslie A Hoffman, Frederick J Tasota, Thomas G Zullo, Carmella Scharfenberg, Michael P Donahoe
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2005
https://uhn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.a…

" target="_blank">Patient satisfaction with physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and physician care: a national survey of Medicare beneficiaries.
Publication: Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management
Author/s:
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
URL: https://uhn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cul&AN=106642217&site=ehost-live&scope=site
2005
Physician extenders impact trauma systems
Publication: Journal of Trauma - Injury, Infection and Critical Care
Author/s:
DOI: 10.1097/01.TA.0000162736.06947.E3
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2005
Positive impact of an interdisciplinary chest pain initiative on traditionally underserved populations.
Publication: Critical pathways in cardiology
Author/s: Angelo B Biviano, James Giglio, Eliot J Lazar, Mary Cooper, Jennifer Sullivan, Eileen Hurley, Robert R Sciacca, Joseph Tenenbaum, Steven R Bergmann, LeRoy E Rabbani
DOI: 10.1097/01.hpc.0000155273.96879.c9
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2005
Reliability of ophthalmic accident and emergency referrals: a new role for the emergency nurse practitioner?
Publication: Emergency Medicine Journal
Author/s: D G Ezra
DOI: 10.1136/emj.2004.018010
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
URL: https://emj.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/emj.2004.018010
2004
A comparative study of nursing home resident outcomes between care provided by nurse practitioners/physicians versus physicians only
Publication: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Author/s: Mary J. Aigner, Shannon Drew, Judy Phipps
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
A culturally competent intervention of education and care for black women with type 2 diabetes.
Publication: Applied nursing research : ANR
Author/s: Gail D'Eramo-Melkus, Geralyn Spollett, Vanessa Jefferson, Deborah Chyun, Beth Tuohy, Tanisha Robinson, Anne Kaisen
DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2003.10.009
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
A randomised controlled trial to compare a nurse practitioner to medical staff in the preparation of patients for diagnostic cardiac catheterisation: the study of nursing intervention in practice (SNIP).
Publication: European journal of cardiovascular nursing
Author/s: R H Stables, J Booth, J Welstand, A Wright, O J M Ormerod, W R Hodgson
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcnurse.2003.11.002
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Case management for patients with poorly controlled diabetes: a randomized trial.
Publication: The American journal of medicine
Author/s: Sarah L Krein, Mandi L Klamerus, Sandeep Vijan, Jan L Lee, James T Fitzgerald, Alan Pawlow, Pamela Reeves, Rodney A Hayward
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2003.11.028
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Evaluating a nurse-led model for providing neonatal care
Publication: Journal of Advanced Nursing
Author/s:
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03063.x
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Evaluation of advanced neonatal nurse practitioners: confidential enquiry into the management of sentinel cases.
Publication: Archives of Disease in Childhood -- Fetal & Neonatal Edition
Author/s: Brown K Platt MPW, M P Ward Platt, K Brown
DOI: 10.1136/adc.2002.022301
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
URL: https://uhn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cul&AN=106588539&site=ehost-live&scope=site
2004
Extending the nurse practitioner concurrent intervention model to community-acquired pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Publication: Joint Commission journal on quality and safety
Author/s: Peter A Gross, Linda Aho, Hormoz Ashtyani, Jerome Levine, Margaret McGee, Stephen Moran, Thomas Anton, Joseph Feldman, Arpi Kuyumjian, Joan Skurnick
DOI: 10.1016/s1549-3741(04)30043-2
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Nurse practitioners' and physicians' care activities and clinical outcomes with an inpatient geriatric population.
Publication: Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
Author/s: Angela Y Lambing, Denise L C Adams, Dorothy H Fox, George Divine
DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-7599.2004.tb00457.x
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Outcome analysis and patient satisfaction following octant transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: a prospective study comparing consultant urologist, specialist registrar and nurse practitioner in urology.
Publication: Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases
Author/s: A Henderson, D E Andrich, M E Pietrasik, D Higgins, B Montgomery, S E M Langley
DOI: 10.1038/sj.pcan.4500696
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: two-year follow-up.
Publication: Medical care research and review : MCRR
Author/s: Elizabeth R Lenz, Mary O'Neil Mundinger, Robert L Kane, Sarah C Hopkins, Susan X Lin
DOI: 10.1177/1077558704266821
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Self-management for women with irritable bowel syndrome
Publication: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology: The Official Clinical Practice Journal of the American Gastroenterological Association
Author/s: Margaret M. Heitkemper, Monica E. Jarrett, Rona L. Levy, Kevin C. Cain, Robert L. Burr, Andrew Feld, Pam Barney, Pam Weisman
DOI: 10.1016/s1542-3565(04)00242-3
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
The Pediatric Alliance for Coordinated Care: evaluation of a medical home model.
Publication: Pediatrics
Author/s: Judith S Palfrey, Lisa A Sofis, Emily J Davidson, Jihong Liu, Linda Freeman, Michael L Ganz
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2004
Utilization of nurse practitioners in long-term care: findings and implications of a national survey.
Publication: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Author/s: Peri Rosenfeld, Mia Kobayashi, Patricia Barber, Mathy Mezey
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2003
Academic nursing clinic: impact on health and cost outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Publication: Applied nursing research : ANR
Author/s: Terry A Badger, Donna Behler McArthur
DOI: 10.1053/apnr.2003.50002
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2003
Center of excellence for headache care: Group model at Kaiser Permanente
Publication: Headache
Author/s:
DOI: 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2003.03087.x
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2003
Creation of a treatment protocol for nurse-led management of anal fissure.
Publication: Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
Author/s: T Porrett, C H Knowles, P J Lunniss
DOI: 10.1046/j.1463-1318.2003.00406.x
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2003
Emergency nurse practitioners: a three part study in clinical and cost effectiveness.
Publication: Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
Author/s: M Sakr, R Kendall, J Angus, A Sanders, J Nicholl, J Wardrope
DOI: 10.1136/emj.20.2.158
Collection: Nurse Practitioner
2003
Emergency nurse practitioners: A three part study in clinical and cost effectivess
Publication: Emergency Medicine Journal
Author/s:
Collection: Nurse Practitioner