Charting the future of hospital nursing.

Nursing roles are expanding in all health care settings; however, the majority of nurses will continue to practice in hospitals for the foreseeable future. Yet hospital nursing is experiencing great ferment and turmoil. Nurses are dissatisfied increasingly with hospital practice, and vacancy and turnover rates are high enough to raise major concerns about adverse consequences for patients. This paper focuses on the nature and causes of the current problems in hospital nursing and advances recommendations for charting a new course for hospital nursing.