Toward Nursing Clinical Excellence

Nurses provide direct patient care account for the single largest percentage of the work force in hospitals and healthcare systems. With the current nursing shortage, exacerbated by the healthcare demands of the aging baby boom generation, measures need to be instituted which promote nurse retention in an effort to ensure optimum patient care outcomes. Patient care is increasing in complexity, with shorter lengths of stay, higher acuity levels, and the proliferation of technology. Expert clinicians are needed at the bedside to provide direct care to challenging patients. One of the biggest threats to nursing staff satisfaction is the lack of recognition for work performance. Hospitals offering career ladders have higher levels of satisfaction than those who lack internal opportunities for professional advancement. For hospitals to remain competitive, healthcare leaders must promote and make a commitment to the retention and professional development of the direct care provider work force. The Clinical Ladder program recognizes and rewards staff nurses for clinical expertise in delivering direct care to patients. The participating nurses are recognized with a promotion from Staff Nurse II to Staff Nurse III or IV and an increase in base salary. clinical advancement programs were introduced in the 1970s as a means to recognize, reward, recruit, and retain bedside nurses.

کلیدواژه ها:

nursing-clinical-laddering-excellence