Study: High-performing nurse managers decrease patient falls

High-performing nurse managers who successfully build cohesive and supportive relationships with front-line nurses reduce patient fall rates, a study in the February issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration found. The study underscores how teamwork, support and communication among RNs on a unit buttresses patient safety, the authors say. The authors encourage organizations to offer continuous leadership training and resources for their nurse managers to improve patient outcomes. Researchers used data from the 2023 National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators to analyze collaborative RN relationships as a facilitator between nurse manager leadership and patient fall rates. They looked at 892 adult medical-surgical and stepdown units across 175 hospitals participating in the survey, as well as their reported data on patient fall rates.