Chief nursing officer turnover and the crisis brewing: views from the front line.
OBJECTIVE
This American Organization of Nurse Executives study examined perceptions of staff nurses, nurse managers, and nurses in other organizational roles as part of an initiative examining CNO turnover. Here, we report findings that complete the 3-phased effort to better understand how nurse executive turnover affects the work environment and patient care.


BACKGROUND
The CNO plays a key role in promoting nurse satisfaction and improving quality, safety, and effectiveness in healthcare organizations. However, little is known about the impact of nurse executive turnover on staff, managers, or patient care delivery.


METHODS
An online survey was used to gather participants' views.


RESULTS
Approximately 1,277 nurses employed in hospitals across the United States responded to this survey. They reported that their CNO listened and responded to staff and backed up staff in decision making, even when doing so involved conflicts with physicians. However, they also perceived that the CNO was not always visible on units and accessible to staff and had less power and authority than other top-level hospital executives in the organization.


CONCLUSIONS
Strategies are needed to address the concerns of staff nurses and managers who are left behind when CNO turnover occurs.
Jones
Cheryl B
CB
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #7460, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460, USA. cabjones@unc.edu
Havens
Donna S
DS
Thompson
Pamela A
PA
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology; D016542:Chief Executive Officers, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009042:Motivation; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States