title: Creating a favorable practice environment for nurses.
abstract: Chronic nurse turnover and attendant personnel shortages threaten patient care. Inadequate pay and benefits are primary factors leading to nurses' job dissatisfaction and, subsequently, to turnover. However, recent meta-analyses suggest that a favorable practice setting can improve nurses' satisfaction and minimize turnover. The practice environment's potential to positively influence nurses' job satisfaction is analyzed in a large academic medical center. Nurse supervisors, job characteristics, management style, and service quality emphasis--not just money and benefits--surface as key factors associated with a positive practice milieu. Implications for raising nurses' job satisfaction, reducing turnover, and improving care delivery are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Anderson Schools of Management, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. smith@mg.unm.edu
authors.forename: Howard L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jacqueline N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: J Deane
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Waldman
authors.forename: Valerie L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*