Exploring Nurses' Perception of Dynamic Patient Events.

OBJECTIVE: The study aim was to describe nurses' perceptions of dynamic patient events (DPEs) impact on workflow and patient care. BACKGROUND: The process of determining optimal nurse staffing has challenged nurse leaders for decades. METHODS: This study took place on 3 inpatient units in 3 hospitals at a large academic medical center. A qualitative design that included focus groups composed of RNs with a minimum of 1-year experience was used. RESULTS: The most commonly identified DPEs were patient travel, code blues, rapid emergency response events, and requirement for an unplanned 1-on-1 sitter. The impact of DPEs influences the nurse's perception on job satisfaction, workflow, patient's safety/satisfaction, and delayed/missed care. CONCLUSION: It is incumbent upon nursing leaders to understand DPEs and anticipate how these events impact nursing workload, staffing, and care delivery.

Globalization impacts the healthcare organization of the 21st century. Demanding new ways to market product lines successfully.

Healthcare is, and will continue to be, impacted by unrelenting forces transforming the healthcare system. The Internet (computers and telecommunication) makes it possible for patients to communicate globally on healthcare issues, and they are more educated about wellness, disease prevention, and medical treatments. This age of information also offers telehealth, which continues to alter the doctor-patient relationship, as well as disease management. The world as we know it changes daily. From the drastically changing demographic composition of the social order to rapidly emerging new technologies, the world of healthcare today is more expansive--an important dimension that nurse executives must recognize in order to lead their organizations in a new global marketplace. When historians chronicle the events that impacted the 21st century, they are certain to highlight the world's increasing consciousness of its interdependence. Abundant evidence will be found in literature that speaks to "globalization" when describing cultural, economic, environmental, and political issues. This unprecedented interconnectedness of healthcare across the globe will include nurse executive leadership talents.