Toward a healthy work environment

Patient safety and the quality of patient care have become important topics in U.S. hospitals in recent years. Nearly all hospitals have made mechanical and procedural changes to improve safety. But a truly healthy hospital is one in which caregivers, especially nurses, are treated with respect. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses argues that a genuinely healthy work environment has six qualities: skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition of staff members' contributions, and authentic leadership. Although training is often needed to create a respectful and healthy workplace, some leaders are reluctant to allocate dollars on what they see as "soft" relationship issues. However, hospital leaders dedicated to improving safety and quality of care will see that they cannot afford to neglect such issues.