Nursing intellectual capital: a theoretical approach for analyzing nursing productivity.

The pressure for increasing productivity in the context of a nursing shortage has surfaced the need to measure nursing productivity with more sophisticated tools.The author has outlined a framework for assessing nursing productivity that includes the 'contribution of nursing knowledge and skill, and factors such as organizational trust and commitment.'This framework includes nursing knowledge indicators such as educational preparation, experience, career development, autonomy, organizational trust and commitment, and employee satisfaction.The model also includes nursing productivity indicators such as direct care hours, turnover, absenteeism, orientation and education, nursing errors, and patient satisfaction.Results of this study are expected to assist organizations in refining their ability to recruit, develop, and maintain the most effective nursing workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]