Nurse managers’ leadership linked to hospital-onset C diff

Editor's Note

This study led by Olivia Jung, PhD, EmoryUniversity, Atlanta, and Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, finds an association between the work environment of nurses and hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile (C diff) infection.

The analysis, which the authors say is the first to examine the association between the nurse work environment and hospital-onset C diff, includes survey data from 15,982 nurses in 353 acute care hospitals as well as data on hospital-onset C diff from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Hospital Compare website and data on hospital characteristics from the American Hospital Association.

All four nurse work environment subscales examined (ie, managerial support, nurse participation in hospital governance, physician-nurse relations, and adequate staffing) were each, and as a composite measure, associated with a decrease in odds of hospitals having higher than average standardized infection ratios of C diff.

The results highlight the importance of nurse managers’ leadership and support, the researchers say. A supportive nurse work environment, including adequate staffing and resources, is key to reducing hospital-onset infections.