title: Hospital nurse force theory: a perspective of nurse fatigue and patient harm.
abstract: This article is focused on the primary finding of the 2010 Institute of Medicine report asserting that nurses practice to the full extent of their education and training. An evolving theoretical perspective for hospital nursing practice is proposed as a basis for reaching this goal. This article describes the background and current factors influencing professional hospital nursing practice, presents a theoretical model for future research designed to optimize the power of hospital nursing practice, using a newly evolved concept of "nurse force," and discusses the implications of nurse force theory on perspectives of hospital nurse fatigue and patient harm.
authors.affiliation: Mission Hospital, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, USA. diane.drake@stjoe.org
authors.forename: Diane Ash
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Georges
authors.forename: Linsey M Barker
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Steege
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015969:National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, U.S., Health and Medicine Division; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D009742:Nursing Theory; D061214:Patient Safety; D014481:United States; D016526:Workload