High-performing Nurse Managers Reduce Falls Through Registered Nurse Collaboration.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Leadership
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Nurse managers (NMs) are crucial for healthy work environments, promoting trust and respect.
• NMs foster nurse collaboration, enhancing team dynamics and patient safety.
• Strong nurse relationships are linked to improved patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate nurse manager leadership's impact on patient fall rates.
• To examine collaborative registered nurse (RN) relationships as a mediator.
• To understand the pathway between leadership, collaboration, and patient safety.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2023 National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI).
• Employed mediation analysis to assess the role of RN collaboration.
• Examined the relationship between NM leadership, RN collaboration, and patient fall rates.

Main Results:

• Collaborative RN relationships significantly mediated the link between NM leadership and patient falls.
• Evidence supports the mediating effect of nurse collaboration on patient safety outcomes.
• NM leadership positively influences fall rates through fostering RN collaboration.

Conclusions:

• NM leadership is vital for creating a culture of nurse collaboration.
• Collaborative RN relationships significantly reduce patient fall rates.
• Healthcare organizations must prioritize NM leadership to improve unit culture and patient safety.