Manageable nurse manager workloads may yield better outcomes

Smaller units with smaller teams are more likely to have reduced nurse turnover and fewer patient falls, a study found. Published in the Journal of Nursing Administration’s April issue by lead author and AONL member Nora Warshawsky, PhD, RN, the cross-sectional study suggests creating manageable nurse manager workloads could result in improved nurse and patient outcomes. Warshawsky, chief nurse scientist emeritus, Press Ganey, South Bend, Ind., and colleagues explored the relationship between nurse manager span of control, organizational support and performance outcomes. Data from 255 nurse managers overseeing 296 units across 47 hospitals showed managers who oversaw more full-time-equivalent staff nurses and patient beds had higher nurse turnover and patient fall rates. They urge leaders to create manageable workloads to promote manager well-being and retention.