Biosketch:
Dr. Mark holds the Sarah Frances Russell Distinguished Professorship in Nursing Systems at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a senior fellow at the Sheps Center for Health Services Research. In addition, she is the Principal Investigator for the pre- and post-doctoral research training program in Quality Healthcare and Patient Outcomes at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Mark is also a member of the Expert Panel on Quality Health Care of the American Academy of Nursing. Her current research, funded since 1995 by NINR, focuses on work environments, hospital performance, patient safety, and quality. Another of her projects, funded by AHRQ since 1999, examines the relationships between nurse staffing, hospital financial performance and quality of care. Her publications have appeared in Nursing Research, Health Services Research, Health Economics and Medical Care. Her 2004 publication, in Health Services Research, is a report of the first longitudinal study of hospital nurse staffing and quality of care.

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Abstract:
While there has now been a substantial body of research investigating the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of care, a number of conceptual and methodological issues remain unresolved, particularly related to the construct of nurse staffing. Dr. Mark will talk about several of these issues: the need for better theory; issues in research design; issues relating to data; and interpretation and strength of evidence issues.