Improving nursing morale in a climate of cost containment. Part 2. Program planning

Declining resources in health care frequently translate into work overload and declining opportunities for nursing staff. Faced with increases in absenteeism and lower morale among staff, nursing administrators must develop low-cost approaches to these problems. Building on the assessment process in Part 1 (October 1984 JONA), the authors present elements of program planning, illustrating the process with a low-cost model program to improve morale that addresses workload, learning opportunities, and organizational rewards for staff nurses.