[Working with the scientific method].
In order to improve the quality of nursing service provided to patients, the Nursing Directors for Area 7 Primary Health Care "IMSALUD" in Madrid drew up a work plan based, fundamentally, on a progressive installation of the scientific method in habitual nursing work. This transversal descriptive study measures the degree of installation of this method 18 months after the development of this plan and compares these results with those obtained 6 months after the development of this plan. After 18 months, Nursing Directors had planned to obtain a 50% complete compliance in the nursing process for immobilized and terminal patients. This objective has been achieved in terms of an evaluation by patterns and a register of nursing diagnosis. Improvement is needed in compliance of treatment plans and in recording evaluations in clinical files.