title: The contribution of organization theory to nursing health services research.
abstract: We review nursing and health services research on health care organizations over the period 1950 through 2004 to reveal the contribution of nursing to this field. Notwithstanding this rich tradition and the unique perspective of nursing researchers grounded in patient care production processes, the following gaps in nursing research remain: (1) the lack of theoretical frameworks about organizational factors relating to internal work processes; (2) the need for sophisticated methodologies to guide empirical investigations; (3) the difficulty in understanding how organizations adapt models for patient care delivery in response to market forces; (4) the paucity of attention to the impact of new technologies on the organization of patient care work processes. Given nurses' deep understanding of the inner workings of health care facilities, we hope to see an increasing number of research programs that tackle these deficiencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0203, USA. micks@mail2.vcu.edu
authors.forename: Stephen S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mick
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mark
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000458:organization & administration; D006804:Ergonomics; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000639:trends; D016294:Models, Nursing; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015401:Nursing Administration Research / Q000639:trends*; D009739:Nursing Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D009874:Operations Research; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000639:trends; D012107:Research Design; D013996:Time and Motion Studies