Authority and responsibility delegation predicts quality of care.
This study, conducted in acute care hospitals, supports and expands previous findings that delegation of responsibility and authority in the nursing service hierarchy is related to known factors affecting quality of patient care. Quality health care is improved if staff nurses are given autonomy and are expected to function at the level for which they have been prepared.
D000041:Absenteeism; D002140:California; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010559:Personnel Management / Q000379:methods*; D011787:Quality of Health Care