Joana Pinto, a nurse in the Operating Theatre Department at Hospital da Luz Coimbra, has completed her PhD in Nursing at the Portuguese Catholic University, having successfully defended her dissertation in a public examination held on 2 July. The dissertation, entitled “ Quality Indicators Sensitive to Nursing Interventions in Ambulatory Surgery: Nurses’ Perspective ” , was unanimously approved by the examination panel and awarded the final distinction of Summa Cum Laude , corresponding to a grade of 19 out of 20. The research focuses on the field of Perioperative Nursing, with particular emphasis on ambulatory surgery, quality of care, patient safety, and the recognition of nursing interventions within this setting. Conducted at a national level, the study involved nurses working in ambulatory surgery units across Portugal, with the aim of identifying, developing, and validating quality indicators sensitive to nursing interventions. This research is particularly significant as it addresses an area that remains relatively underexplored in Portugal, representing a pioneering contribution to the consolidation of scientific knowledge in Perioperative Nursing . By proposing specific indicators centered on nursing practice and outcomes sensitive to nursing care, the dissertation highlights the importance of making nursing’s contribution to the quality, safety, and effectiveness of care provided to patients in the perioperative setting more visible. Beyond its academic contribution, the study has high practical applicability. Its findings may support continuous improvement initiatives, quality-of-care monitoring processes, the development of assessment tools, the definition of intervention priorities, and the strengthening of evidence-based decision-making in ambulatory surgery units. The work also underscores the importance of collaboration between research, academia, and clinical nursing practice. Scientific knowledge achieves its full value when it is closely connected to real-world care settings and when it contributes to transforming practice, supporting healthcare professionals, and improving health outcomes. The completion of this academic journey therefore represents not only a personal achievement, but also a source of institutional pride, reflecting the commitment of Hospital da Luz Coimbra professionals to excellence, research, evidence-based practice, quality, and patient safety . This milestone further reinforces the role of Perioperative Nursing as a specialized field of knowledge, intervention, and scientific development, contributing to the advancement and recognition of nursing within contemporary healthcare.
