title: The relationship between work complexity and nurses' participation in decision making in hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between work complexity and nurses' participation in decision making in hospital nursing units.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Increasing nurses' participation in decision making has been used as a way to manage work complexity; however, the work of nurses in acute care hospitals has become highly complex, and strategies used to manage this complexity have not been fully explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relationship between work complexity and nurse participation in decision making was examined using data from the Outcomes Research in Nursing Administration project. The sample included 3,718 RNs in 278 medical-surgical units in 143 hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When work complexity increased, nurses' participation in decision making decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When nurses have limited input into decision making, the information available to the care team may be incomplete. Barriers to nurses' participation in decision making should be explored and interventions developed so that nurses may be full participants in decision making affecting both patients and the work environment.
authors: Author Affiliations: Assistant Professor (Dr Bacon), School of Nursing, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro; Professor (Dr Lee), School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Sarah Frances Russell Distinguished Professor (Dr Mark), School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors: Cynthia Thornton
authors: CT
authors: Bacon
authors: Shoou-Yih Daniel
authors: SY
authors: Lee
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Mark
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D016526:Workload