NURSING AUDIT AS A STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING CARE QUALITY IN HOSPITALS: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing audit constitutes a systematic strategy for evaluating care quality, capable of identifying gaps in clinical practice, improving records, and promoting patient safety in hospital settings. Objective: to describe the scientific evidence on nursing audit as a strategy for improving care quality in hospitals. Method: scoping review, adapted based on the PRISMA criteria guidelines, guided by a research question structured on the PCC model. The search was conducted in PubMed and LILACS databases, using DeCS/MeSH descriptors combined with Boolean operators, covering publications from 2013 to 2025, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, with screening performed on the Rayyan platform. Results: the search yielded 33 articles, with no duplicates, of which 16 were selected for the review. The analysis showed that structured audit and feedback cycles produce significant improvements in adherence to clinical guidelines, in the quality of nursing records, and in the reduction of adverse events. Multidisciplinary teams, computerized systems, and standardized language were identified as enhancing factors, while work overload, staff turnover, and training deficits emerged as recurring barriers. Conclusion: nursing audit is an effective strategic tool for improving care quality and patient safety, especially when integrated with continuous feedback cycles, educational actions, and institutional support.