title: A collaborative perspective on nursing leadership in quality improvement. The foundation for outcomes management and patient/staff safety in health care environments.
abstract: By 2004, only organizations whose institutional operating strategies are built on a continual state of readiness and include performance improvement practices throughout the organization are going to successfully meet Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations standards. As stewards of patient care, nurses maintain a unique role in identifying and guiding the intervention processes central to quality care, which prepares them to become key players/designers of a paradigm that demonstrates commitment to establishing and maintaining quality care. However, without recognition and support from organization leadership and physicians, the opportunity to effectively use the capabilities of nursing may be lost. The collaborative perspectives offered here attest to the fact that mutual belief and vision, coupled with creativity, strategic planning, and implementation, can effectively mobilize resources to establish priority measures and achieve quality patient/safety outcomes within the organization. Shifting the paradigm from just meeting the standards to continual readiness and performance improvement throughout the organization then becomes mission and mantra.
authors.affiliation: Wishard Health Services, 1001 West 10th Street, OTT Building, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. Nancy.Rollins-Gantz@Wishard.edu
authors.forename: Nancy Rollins
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Gantz
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sorenson
authors.forename: Randy L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005161:Facility Regulation and Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D007857:Leadership; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016272:Occupational Health; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States