Environmental Turbulence

Abstract

Changes in the external regulatory environment have created turbulence in the internal hospital environment. Nursing administrators must create and maintain clinical environments that support practice; however, little is known about the effects of the dramatic changes in the healthcare environment on nurse performance. The author discusses a study that analyzed the effects of environmental turbulence on nurses' job performance. One characteristic of a turbulent environment, the number of admissions to/discharges from a unit in a 24-hour period, had a negative impact on self-rated quality of performance. The findings give direction to nurse administrators regarding efforts and resources required to support nurse performance in the unstable and rapidly changing healthcare environment.