InterRAI (Resident Assessment Instrument) is a comprehensive interdisciplinary instrument that evaluates the need for nursing and the health of nursing home residents, emphasising quality and safety of care.
The results of the interRAI assessments are used in nursing home audits conducted by the Directorate of Health to monitor whether the service meets professional standards and the provisions of health legislation at any given time.
The interRAI assessment tool was developed in the United States in the 1980s and has been translated and adapted worldwide: interRAI.
InterRAI quality indicators are used to monitor and develop the quality of care in nursing homes. Examples of interRAI quality indicators are; Prevalence of falls, depressive symptoms, urinary tract infections, weight loss, daily body restraints/safety equipment, little or no activity, and pressure ulcers.
Certain standardised quality indicators exist that take into account the conditions in Iceland and are based on scientific knowledge. The Directorate of Health recommends the use of these indicators to monitor the quality of the services and to improve it.
Pharmaceutical quality indicators in nursing homes are utilised for both internal and external monitoring and improvement. Pharmaceutical quality indicators encompass the safety of medications, the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals, the overall utilisation of specific pharmaceuticals, and the cost-effectiveness of treatment.
A poor quality criterion (upper limit) refers to a problem that exists in care and treatment. This subject needs further investigation and improvement.
A good quality criterion (lower limit) describes the provision of good or excellent care and treatment. Work towards maintaining this quality, and if possible, improve it even further.
Quality control
In connection with the quality standards, a help document (Icelandic) has been created. Insert information from the interRAI quality indicators to see at a glance where the nursing homes stand regarding the Icelandic quality standards.
The document contains graphs for all 20 quality indicators used in Iceland. In the header of the graphs, each quality indicator is labelled with a number that is the same as in the RAI program. Some also have a star, but these are the quality indicators considered to be the best for comparing nursing homes.
There is only one quality indicator per worksheet, and its name and number are on the tab of each worksheet. Please note that the first page contains instructions for using the document.
The Directorate of Health recommends using these criteria to monitor the quality of the service and to make improvements.
The Directorate of Health also uses these criteria to monitor the quality of services in nursing homes.
InterRAI assessment and electronic registration
To ensure data security and data protection, all data is encrypted in communications. By collecting the data into a central database, it is possible to get a complete picture of the health and condition of older people in all nursing homes in Iceland. Each institution has access to its data.
The utility of interRAI assessment is unequivocal:
It contributes to individualised treatment and more targeted nursing care.
It allows monitoring the quality of the service and carrying out improvements if necessary.
