The role of the chief nurse officer in ensuring patient safety and quality.

ABSTRACT

Since 1999, dozens of organizations and hundreds of initiatives have emerged to improve the quality and safety of patient care, yet insufficient progress has been made. Attention has turned toward improving senior leadership team effectiveness. The authors describe a national project that examined the role of the senior leadership team in 8 hospitals in promoting quality and safety, with particular focus on the role of the chief nurse officer in this process.