The impact of unit-based self-management by nurses on patient outcomes.

Objective: Patients discharged from a self-managed nursing unit are compared with patients from traditionally managed units on postdischarge outcomes.
Data Sources and Study Setting: Primary data were collected on patients discharged from eight nursing units in three clinical areas in one hospital from August through November 1990.
Study Design: A case series of eligible patients discharged from four self-managed nursing units (n = 140) are compared with patients from four matched traditionally managed units (n = 138) on postdischarge outcomes: perceived health status, perceived functional status, needs for care, unmet needs for care, unplanned health care visits, and readmissions to the hospital within 31 days of discharge.
Data Collection Methods: Patients were interviewed by telephone at approximately two weeks postdischarge, and data from hospital records were merged with interview data.
Principal Findings: Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses showed no significant effects (either positive or negative) of self-managed units on the postdischarge outcomes studied.
Conclusions: Self-managed nursing units, previously shown to improve nurses' work satisfaction and retention, have no impact on patient postdischarge outcomes.